World Tuberculosis Day (24/03)

World Tuberculosis Day is celebrated by the World Health Organization (WHO) annually on March 24, — on the day when German microbiologist Robert Koch announced his discovery of the causative agent of tuberculosis in 1882. In 1905, the scientist received the Nobel Prize in Medicine.

This Day was established in 1982 by decision of WHO and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease — IUATLD and is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the tuberculosis pathogen — Koch bacilli. In 1993, the World Health Organization declared tuberculosis a national disaster, and March 24 — was declared World Tuberculosis Day. Since 1998, it has received official UN support.

Tuberculosis — is an infectious disease transmitted by airborne droplets. And without appropriate treatment, a person with an active form of tuberculosis can infect an average of 10-15 people annually. According to WHO, almost 4,400 people die every day from this preventable and treatable disease, and almost 30,000 people become ill with it (most of whom are — residents of developing countries).

Tuberculosis continues to be the leading cause of death from infectious diseases in the world.

The development of tuberculosis is facilitated by poor nutrition, consumption of toxic products (tobacco, alcohol, drugs), unsatisfactory working and living conditions, and some chronic diseases (diabetes mellitus, blood diseases, HIV).

Symbol of Tuberculosis Day — white chamomile, as a symbol of healthy breathing. Although today's date was officially approved in 1982, anti-tuberculosis events began in the world at the end of the 19th — and beginning of the 20th centuries and were based on charitable activities. It is believed that it was then that the idea of White Flower Day was born, when in Geneva for the first time young people and girls took to the streets with shields strewn with white chamomile flowers. They collected donations to treat tuberculosis patients. Then these promotions began to take place in other European countries, and the sale of daisies attracted the attention of the population and brought income to anti-tuberculosis organizations. Thus, in Denmark and Norway, the right to sell a flower was a monopoly of anti-tuberculosis societies.

At the same time, various societies to combat tuberculosis also began to emerge in Russia. In 1909, the first free outpatient hospital for these patients was opened in Moscow, where a lot of preventive work was also carried out among the population. In 1910, the All-Russian League to Combat Tuberculosis was organized, which three years later had 67 outpatient clinics and several sanatoriums. April 20, 1911 was the first time «White Chamomile» Day was held. At that time, activities aimed at combating tuberculosis were carried out everywhere. Although this action was forgotten in Soviet times, today it is being revived again — in March-April in many Russian regions you can see on the streets people distributing white daisies — real or artificial in order to attract the attention of the population to this problem. And for World Tuberculosis Day, it is also customary to hold various charity events.

Thanks to the anti-tuberculosis work carried out in Russia, in recent years it has been possible to reduce the increase in morbidity and mortality of the population from tuberculosis. And yet they continue to remain at a high level, with the spread of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and tuberculosis combined with HIV infection increasing. Therefore, work in this direction is carried out constantly.



— political support; — diagnostics through microscopy; — reliable supply of medicines; — treatment control; — regular evaluation of results.

DOTS — is a strategy against the tuberculosis epidemic, as it allows you to identify and cure patients who are most dangerous to others. It is possible to cure 92-95% of tuberculosis cases.

The introduction of DOTS — is the salvation of many people from death, illness and suffering caused by tuberculosis. The principles of the DOTS strategy are universal for any country. The strategy is currently being successfully implemented in more than 180 countries and has saved 74 million lives (since 2000).

Tuberculosis is curable, and work in this direction is ongoing, but, according to WHO, insufficient efforts are currently being made to detect, treat and cure each patient. Of the 9 million people suffering from tuberculosis every year, 3 million patients are not being treated.

Therefore, the purpose of World Tuberculosis Day is, first of all, to raise awareness among the world's population about the global epidemic of this disease and efforts to eliminate it, about methods of preventing and combating it.



• Infographics – poster «March 24 — World Tuberculosis Day» • Article «Disease of the poor and aquarium fish»

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