Shillong, Aug 26: The National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme under the National Health Mission, Meghalaya are moving forward with a motive to spread awareness on Tuberculosis and eliminate TB at the state.
With the core objective of making the people aware on the effects of Tuberculosis, the District Tuberculosis Office, East Khasi Hills District conducted school awareness programme on ‘Burden of Tuberculosis’ at H. Elias Memorial Higher Secondary School, Shillong on Friday. The students and teachers were sensitized on TB prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
The programme featured a short skit on TB by the Bachelor of Social Work Interns from St. Edmund’s College and Women’s college; their act focused on the situational context, enabling the students to understand on the ways TB spreads, its symptoms, and stressed that TB is a preventable disease, thus encouraging the children to support the patients and the need to end stigmatization of TB patients.
District Programme Coordinator, Gilbert Kurbah, present at the programme as the resource person, gave an introduction about TB disease. He shared that TB is a treatable and curable disease. He also highlighted that school children can play an important role in imparting knowledge about TB to the family and the society. The minimum treatment of TB is of 6 months. TB Preventive Therapy is given to household contacts of the microbiologically confirmed pulmonary TB patients.
​Kurbah further called for action from the students and teachers to come forward and support in helping the district to eliminate TB by 2025. He also encouraged the students to focus on identification of symptoms of TB at early phase for effective treatment.
Special Guest District MCH Officer Dr. E. Kharmuti talked about BCG vaccination and diagnosis of TB and urged the society to come forward and seek healthcare in Government Institutions so they may attain free treatment and avoid defaulting phases because of poverty.
In conclusion, TB Pledge led by Miss Tracy Kharkamni, State Coordinator, urged the students to come forward to eliminate the fear of TB with right knowledge and end discrimination and stigma related to TB.
