Steps will be taken to eradicate Tuberculosis from Sri Lanka by 2035, Health Ministry’s Anti Tuberculosis Campaign Director Dr. Nirupa Pallewatta said. She said this while speaking at the special workshop for journalists held to mark World Tuberculosis Day 2023 at the Health Promotion Bureau yesterday (14).
The theme of this year’s National Tuberculosis Day is ‘’Let’s Eliminate Tuberculosis.. We Can… “ National Tuberculosis Day which is celebrated every year on March 24 by informing people about tuberculosis in a more meaningful way to eradicate tuberculosis from the country. The doctor further mentioned that it will be celebrated.
Specialist Dr. Bodhika Samarasekera, an expert in respiratory diseases, who participated in this workshop, explained the nature of tuberculosis and its symptoms and said that tuberculosis can be completely cured by receiving treatment for six months. Dr.Samarasekera said tuberculosis is a contagious disease and it is important to detect it early and seek treatment.
While this affects the lungs, if it persists for a long time, it can affect any part of the body except hair and nails, he said. He emphasized that one fourth of the world’s population is infected with tuberculosis and that tuberculosis is caused by a bacterium and this bacterium is destroyed by sunlight and can survive for many days even in the dark.
The symptoms of tuberculosis are cough lasting more than two weeks, loss of appetite, weight loss, mild fever in the evening, sweating, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, blood coming out with sputum when defecating. He said that if there is any other symptom or one or more of the above symptoms, it is important to visit a government hospital and get tested for tuberculosis.
He said the majority of TB patients in this country are reported from the Western Province, which is about 46%, and the highest number of cases are reported from the Colombo District, about 26%.
He said that more patients are reported in the Colombo District as well within the Colombo Municipal Council limits. Programmes have been organized for the upcoming Tuberculosis Day on March 24.A march has also been organized near the field.
by Daily News Sri Lanka
, Local, ,