News: Every year World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is celebrated on March 24
Facts:
- Background: The date marks the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch announced that he had discovered the bacterium that causes TB.
- 2020 Theme: ‘It’s Time’.
Additional Information:
Tuberculosis(TB): It is an infectious airborne bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Initiatives taken in India:
- TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign: The campaign aims to improve and expand the reach of Tuberculosis care services across the country by 2022.
- Nikshay Poshan Yojana: It is a direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme to provide nutritional support to TB patients.
- National Strategic Plan (NSP) for TB Elimination (2017-2025): It is a framework to provide guidance for the activities of various stakeholders to reduce the burden of TB mortality and morbidity. It aims to work towards the elimination of TB in India by 2025.
- TB-free India Campaign: It was launched in 2018 to take the activities under the National Strategic Plan for TB Elimination.
