World Tuberculosis Day
Encyclopedia
World Tuberculosis Day, falling on March 24 each year, is designed to build public awareness about the global epidemic
of tuberculosis
and efforts to eliminate the disease. Today tuberculosis causes the deaths of about 1.7 million people each year, mostly in the Third World
.
March 24 commemorates the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch
astounded the scientific community by announcing that he had discovered the cause of tuberculosis, the TB bacillus
. At the time of Koch's announcement in Berlin
, TB was raging through Europe
and the Americas
, causing the death of one out of every seven people. Koch's discovery opened the way toward diagnosing and curing tuberculosis.
of Robert Koch
's presentation, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) proposed that March 24 be proclaimed an official World TB Day. In 1996, the World Health Organization
(WHO) joined with the IUATLD and a wide range of other concerned organizations to increase the impact of World TB Day. Today the Stop TB Partnership
, a network of organizations and countries fighting TB (IUATLD is a member and WHO houses the secretariat in Geneva), organizes the Day to highlight the scope of the disease and how to prevent and cure it.
The ICRC has been fighting TB in prisons in the Caucasus region, Central Asia, Latin America, Asia Pacific and Africa for more than a decade, either directly or by supporting local programmes .
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
and efforts to eliminate the disease. Today tuberculosis causes the deaths of about 1.7 million people each year, mostly in the Third World
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
.
March 24 commemorates the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch
Robert Koch
Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch was a German physician. He became famous for isolating Bacillus anthracis , the Tuberculosis bacillus and the Vibrio cholerae and for his development of Koch's postulates....
astounded the scientific community by announcing that he had discovered the cause of tuberculosis, the TB bacillus
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a pathogenic bacterial species in the genus Mycobacterium and the causative agent of most cases of tuberculosis . First discovered in 1882 by Robert Koch, M...
. At the time of Koch's announcement in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, TB was raging through Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, causing the death of one out of every seven people. Koch's discovery opened the way toward diagnosing and curing tuberculosis.
History
In 1982, on the one-hundredth anniversaryAnniversary
An anniversary is a day that commemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event. One year later would be the first anniversary of that event...
of Robert Koch
Robert Koch
Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch was a German physician. He became famous for isolating Bacillus anthracis , the Tuberculosis bacillus and the Vibrio cholerae and for his development of Koch's postulates....
's presentation, the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) proposed that March 24 be proclaimed an official World TB Day. In 1996, the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
(WHO) joined with the IUATLD and a wide range of other concerned organizations to increase the impact of World TB Day. Today the Stop TB Partnership
Stop TB Partnership
The Stop TB Partnership was established in 2000 to eliminate tuberculosis as a public health problem. Its 1000 partner organizations include international, nongovernmental and governmental organizations and patient groups...
, a network of organizations and countries fighting TB (IUATLD is a member and WHO houses the secretariat in Geneva), organizes the Day to highlight the scope of the disease and how to prevent and cure it.
World Tuberculosis Day 2010
On the occasion of World TB Day 2010, the International Committee of the Red Cross declared that attempts to stem the spread of tuberculosis across the globe are likely to fall well short of what is needed unless authorities in affected countries significantly increase their efforts to stop the deadly disease from breeding inside prisons. As a result of overcrowding and poor nutrition, TB rates in many prisons are 10 to 40 times higher than in the general public.The ICRC has been fighting TB in prisons in the Caucasus region, Central Asia, Latin America, Asia Pacific and Africa for more than a decade, either directly or by supporting local programmes .
Themes by year
- 2011: On the move against TB: Transforming the fight towards elimination
- 2010: On the move against TB: Innovate towards action
- 2009: I am stopping TB
- 2008: I am stopping TB
- 2007: TB anywhere is TB everywhere
- 2006: Actions for life – Towards a world free of TB
- 2005: Frontline TB care providers: Heroes in the fight against TB
- 2004: Every breath counts – Stop TB now!
- 2003: DOTS cured me – it will cure you too!
- 2002: Stop TB, fight poverty
- 2001: DOTS: TB cure for all
- 2000: Forging new partnerships to Stop TB
See also
- TuberculosisTuberculosisTuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
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