World TB Day

World TB Day, held on March 24 each year, is an occasion for people around the world to raise awareness about the international health threat presented by tuberculosis (TB). It is a day to recognize the collaborative efforts of all countries involved in fighting TB. TB can be cured, controlled, and, with diligent efforts and sufficient resources, eventually eliminated.

History of World TB Day

In the late 19th century, TB killed one out of every seven people living in the United States and Europe. On March 24, 1882, Dr. Robert Koch announced the discovery of the TB bacillus. At the time, his discovery was the most important step taken towards the control and elimination of this deadly disease.

In 1982, a century after Dr. Koch's announcement, the first World TB Day was sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD). The event was intended to educate the public about the devastating health and economic consequences of TB, its effect on developing countries, and its continued tragic impact on global health. (for  more www.cdc.gov/tb )

World TB Day 2005

“TB remains a threat to the health and well-being of people around the world. Among infectious diseases, TB remains the second leading killer of adults in the world, with more than 2 million TB-related deaths each year. Until TB is controlled, World TB Day won’t be a celebration. But it is a valuable opportunity to educate the public about the devastation TB can spread and how it can be stopped” said Dr. Kenneth G. Castro
Director of CDC's  Division of Tuberculosis Elimination.

Planning World TB Day in Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro NEWS

Yugoslav Anti-Tuberculosis Association YATA

launches new web site: www.tuberkuloza.org.yu

launches a leaflet with a crucial message in prevention of transmission of TB and other airborne infectious diseases (prevention of generating of infectious droplet nuclei, which may stay in the air for hours and be inhaled): “When cough, protect the others” (with a handkerchief in the front of your mouth and nose)

Collected lectures of two seminars of continual medical education 1) Current Knowledge on TB Prevention and Diagnostics and 2) Antituberculosis Drug Resistance of M. tuberculosis as a Clinical Problem, published as supplements of medical journals, will be disseminated on request free of charge together with Power Point presentations on CD.

Sport Association Medicinar of the School of Medicine University of Belgrade has been invited to join YATA on the occasion of March 24th – World TB Day 2005. Males basketball team Medicinar was a champion at the University Students International Sport Championship 2003, held in Milan, Italy. Press Conference on March 23 together with Red Cross of Serbia and Montenegro - Ministry of Health representative expected.

World TB Day 2005 message

“TB in Europe has two faces: a declining epidemic in the western part and an increasing and more and more complicated epidemic towards the eastern part. Multi-drug resistant TB that is difficult and expensive to treat, and often results in the death of the patient and the fast increasing HIV epidemic resulting in a combined TB/HIV epidemic leading to increased cases of tuberculosis are among the most serious health problems in the east. Migration and travel to and fro however makes it a pan-European problem that only can be solved by the combined and coordinated efforts of all European countries. World TB day is a good opportunity to inform the public and their policy makers about this.” Said Dr Jaap Veen, Head of the European Unit of KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, a century old Royal TB Association in the Netherlands.

 “TB remains a threat to the health and well-being of people around the world. Among infectious diseases, TB remains the second leading killer of adults in the world, with more than 2 million TB-related deaths each year. Until TB is controlled, World TB Day won’t be a celebration. But it is a valuable opportunity to educate the public about the devastation TB can spread and how it can be stopped” said Dr. Kenneth G. Castro
Director of CDC's Division of Tuberculosis Elimination.