Each year, we recognize World TB Day on March 24, often with a variety of activities leading up to the official day. This annual event commemorates the date in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacillus that causes tuberculosis (TB).
TB is one of the world’s deadliest diseases: One third of the world’s population is infected with TB, in 2010, nearly 9 million people around the world became sick with TB, and, there were around 1.45 million TB-related deaths worldwide, says CDC US. TB is a leading killer of people who are HIV infected.
World TB Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness about TB-related problems and solutions, and to support worldwide TB-control efforts. CDC and other organisations are committed to a world free of TB. In their lifetimes, today’s children should expect to see a world where no one gets sick with TB.
In their lifetimes, women and men should expect to see a world where no one dies from TB. All of us can have different hopes, such as for faster treatment; a quick, cheap, low-tech test that is accessible to all; or an effective vaccine.
Share with other people how they can become a partner in the Fight Against TB.