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Govt pleads for joint efforts in fighting TB
2008-03-25 09:21:33
By Nasser Kigwangallah, Babati
The government affirmed yesterday its determination to step up efforts aimed at combating diseases, such as tuberculosis and HIV/Aids.
The remarks were made here by Health and Social Welfare Minister Prof David Mwakyusa at the climax of Tuberculosis Day, which culminated in a rally from Mrara Hospital to Kwaraa grounds in the township.
The annual event, which was celebrated at the national level at Babati, in Manyara Region, was attended by hundreds of people from across the region amid rains that started early in the morning.
He said the main purpose of the annual event was to enlighten the people about the disease and how to understand its various symptoms in a patient.
He said stopping TB could be done only if all the people cooperated by keeping their surroundings clean.
``This year`s theme, `I am stopping TB. You can stop TB. Join us` reflected the government`s resolve in ensuring that the pandemic was eliminated altogether,`` he said.
Mwakyusa said this year`s celebrations were conducted in the region as a sign of the ministry`s determination to ensure tuberculosis was fought by all means.
He said TB was a disease that needed joint efforts in combating, and hence should not be the responsibility of the government alone, but all stakeholders.
``Let everyone of us be at war in fighting disease, not only tuberculosis, but other pandemics as well.``
The minister commended the role being played by laboratory technicians, clinical officers, nurses who attend to patients, and relatives of patients who take care of their patients with love.
He criticized people who discriminate TB patients by not attending them or showing love to them.
He appealed to the people to go to hospitals for early treatment of the disease once symptoms of the disease are detected; which are constant coughing, periodic fever, loosing weight and feeling fatigue.
He said in order for the patient to be cured successfully, use of drugs was essential for six months.
According to him, during the past two decades there had been an increase in patients suffering from the pandemic in the country.
He said statistics indicated that new TB cases increased by 11,000 from 1983 to 62,000 by the end of 2006, an increase of almost six times which, he said, was alarming.
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