VIJAYAWADA: Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan launched the 71st TB Seal Sale campaign in a programme held at Durbar Hall in Raj Bhavan on Friday. Speaking on the occasion, the Governor said TB continues to be a killer disease and its spread has become a cause for concern in the developed world.
He said the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared TB as a global emergency and as the second most populous country in the world, India has a burden of almost one fourth of the global TB cases with as many as 26.9 lakh cases notified in 2019.
It is estimated that nearly one lakh people are suffering with TB in Andhra Pradesh with a successful cure rate of 91 per cent achieved with the implementation of the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) with Directly Observed Treatment (DBT) in all districts in the State, the Governor said
He said the Centre is implementing ‘End TB Strategy’ with focus on active case finding, introduction of highly specific and sensitive molecular diagnostic in the programme, introduction of daily treatment regimen, universal drug susceptibility testing and introduction of new drugs for drug resistant TB.
Harichandan emphasised on the need to scale up the programmes at the grassroot level with active participation of voluntary organisations such as TB Association, Indian Medical Association, Red Cross, Lepra India, TB Alert, World Vision, AMG India International and Arogyavaram Medical Centre to control the disease.
He appealed to the people for generous contributions to the TB Seal Sale Campaign and join their hands in the efforts to eradicate TB by 2025.
The Governor felicitated Dr T Rama Rao and Dr Usha and a representative of AMG International for maximum collection of funds by sale of TB Seals and Dr Jayakar Babu of Guntur Medical College, and Srikakulam TB Association officials for recruitment of maximum number of volunteers.
Andhra Pradesh TB Association chairperson Dr TP Gandhi, Arogyavaram Medical Centre director Dr Wesley, and Secretary to Governor Mukesh Kumar Meena were present.