On the World TB Day (March 24), the Department of Paediatrics PGIMER and Rotary Club Chandigarh teamed up for TB-Free Chandigarh.
A walkathon was organized at Sukhna Lake, which marked the beginning of a partnership towards global initiative to End TB, and generate public awareness.
Dr Jagat Ram, Director, PGIMER, flagged off the walkathon in which Rotarians, Rotaractors, staff of PGI, students of Nursing and citizens participated. Rtn. Dr. Meenu Singh, head of Advanced Paediatric Centre at PGI and Project Chair said that “Chandigarh harbours nearly 3,000 notified TB patients and approximately 250 paediatric patients. Department of Pediatrics, PGIMER and Rotary Club Chandigarh have teamed up to combat TB in Chandigarh through a series of event like screening for patients in residential colonies and organising public awareness campaign.”
This curable disease is still the world’s deadliest killer, claiming nearly 4,000 lives per day globally and through a concerted efforts by WHO and different global agencies since 2000, nearly 54 million lives have been saved. In 2018, Prime Minister of India gave a clarion call to end TB by 2025, five years earlier than the global target.
PRIP RK Saboo expressed that with a concerted effort of all the stakeholders it is possible to have a TB Free Chandigarh.
The theme of World TB Day 2019, ‘It’s time’, put the accent on the urgency to act on the commitments made by global leaders to scale up access to prevention and treatment; build accountability; ensure sufficient and sustainable financing including for research; promote an end to stigma and discrimination, and promote an equitable, rights-based and people-centered TB response.
On 24 March 1882, Dr. Robert Koch had officially announced the discovery of bacterium causing TB and it is this day each year which is observed as world tuberculosis day, to raise the public awareness about health, social, and economic consequences of the dreadful disease.
Rotary Club Chandigarh 