Research for new TB medicine is need of the hour. March 24, 2019, is observed as World TB Day to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of TB, and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic.
Tuberculosis remains one of the top reasons of death in India. Out of all TB deaths, one in three is from India. The social stigma attached to the condition results in the cases go unreported. Despite recent advances in medical research not a single vaccination has been developed after Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) for preventing TB. Research for new TB medicine is need of the hour, says Dr Sachin Kumar, senior consultant pulmonology, Sakra World Hospital.
In general, it’s higher in youth 20-40 yrs. Especially in Bangalore sometimes young people ignore their health, food habits or sleep which increase the risk for tuberculosis.
Case Study: Recently, at Sakra World Hospital a young IT professional with erratic working schedule came with history of coughing out blood in emergency and had to be admitted in ICU. He had been neglecting his cough as minor allergy problem. Fortunately, he underwent a lifesaving procedure called ‘Bronchial Artery Embolization’ a procedure to examine the bronchial arteries (arteries in your lung), which is bleeding and causing haemoptysis (coughing up of blood) through X-rays. After the bleeding has been treated the patient was started on appropriate TB medicine.
Tuberculosis cases are increasing in India year on year. Although the government has taken a lot of initiatives and measures to curb and eliminate TB, most of the people have not considered this seriously. TB kills an estimated 4,80,000 Indians every year and more than 1,400 every day.
The habit of smoking from young age, malnourishment and low immunity levels are the major reasons that contributes towards increase in the number of TB cases in India says Dr. K Vinod, Consultant Pulmonologist, BR Life SSNMC Hospital.
TB spreads from one person to other when the affected person sneezes or coughs. The lack of awareness and ignorance of this disease and its affects in the urban and rural areas is making the condition worse and spreading it to all.
