RAJSHAHI, Aug 14 (BSS): Speakers at a media advocacy meeting said here today about three lakh people are infected with tuberculosis and around 65,000 die every year in the country.
They said journalists have a vital role to play in creating mass-awareness about the disease so that people in general can prevent it themselves.
National Anti-tuberculosis Association of Bangladesh (NATAB) organized the district level advocacy meeting at Metropolitan Press Club aims at sensitizing the journalists about creating mass-awareness on tuberculosis.
During her keynote speech, Dr Ismat Ara, Senior Medical Officer of Chest Disease Clinic, urged the journalists to help doctors and health workers in identifying TB patients and bring them under treatment.
"TB is no more a deadly disease now and it could be fully cured if the affected patients take medicines properly for six to eight months at a stretch as per the suggestions of the physicians", he added.
Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr Momtazul Haque, NATAB Social Mobilizer Ataur Rahman, local unit General Secretary Advocate Shahinul Haque, Publicity Secretary Serajul Islam and President of Rajshahi Press Club Anwarul Alam Fatik also spoke.
Dr Ismat Ara mentioned that the TB is an infectious disease that usually spreads through breathing of the affected patients.
She said cough with pain in the chest for more than three weeks is the symptom of the disease. In the event of the contacting the disease, the infected persons are required to be diagnosed immediately, he stressed.
He said free treatment facilities are available at all the upazila health complexes, district hospitals, public and private medical colleges and other health centres in the country.
Dr Momtajul Haque stressed the need for massive participation of the civil society members in creating mass awareness about tuberculosis.
