World Tuberculosis Day 2024

Date and Observance:

World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, 24 March 2024, continues with the theme “Yes! We can end TB”. With continued efforts and awareness campaigns, the aim is to eradicate the world’s deadliest disease.

March 24, 1882, is significant as the day when Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which causes TB.
This discovery led to improved understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease.
In 1982, on the centenary of Dr. Koch’s discovery, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) proposed observing March 24 as World TB Day.
The first World TB Day was officially observed in 1983, and it has been an annual event since then.

World TB Day serves as a reminder to continue research and investment in treatment strategies, prevention methods, and awareness about tuberculosis.
TB is a preventable and treatable disease, yet it remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious killers.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about one-quarter of the global population is estimated to have been infected with TB bacteria, with 5–10% of those infected eventually developing TB disease.
Efforts taken globally have saved an estimated 66 million lives since 2000.

TB is an airborne infection primarily affecting the lungs, transmitted through close contact with infected individuals.
Symptoms include cough with sputum and blood, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.
TB is treated with a standard 6-month course of 4 antimicrobial drugs.
Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) are more severe forms of TB that require specialized treatment.
Global efforts, such as the WHO’s “Find. Treat. All. #EndTB” initiative, aim to combat TB through increased awareness, diagnosis, and treatment.

India accounts for roughly 28% of TB cases worldwide.
Initiatives such as the National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis Elimination and the Nikshay Ecosystem aim to eliminate TB in India.
Programs like Nikshay Poshan Yojana provide financial support to TB patients.
Two vaccines, VPM 1002 and MIP, are under Phase-3 clinical trials for TB prevention.

World Tuberculosis Day serves as a global call to action to raise awareness, promote prevention, and ensure access to quality care for all those affected by TB.
Through continued efforts and collaboration, the goal of ending the TB epidemic and creating a healthier future for all is within reach.