TB Day message

[RAAZ]

KATHMANDU, Mar. 24: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health and Population, Amik Sherchan has said that timely diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis is the best way of stopping the spread of the infection of this disease.

In a message today on the occasion of World TB Day, Deputy Prime Minister Sherchan has said that the treatment facilities using DOTS is available free of cost in all the 75 districts of the country.

Likewise, Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population, Ram Chandraman Singh has said as tuberculosis still remains as a major health problem in Nepal, the Government has been giving priority to checking the disease and also stressing on effective implementation of treatment measures.

In a similar message, acting Director General of the Department of Health Service, Dr Sarala Malla has said an estimated five to seven thousand people in Nepal die of this disease and the double infection of tuberculosis and HIV remains a challenge for TB control programmes.

Similarly, Secretary General of the SAARC, Chenkyab Dorji has said the SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre was devoted to the control and prevention of TB and HIV in South Asia by coordinating the efforts of the Member States.

The commemoration of the World TB Day on 24 March every year reminds us of the plight of those affected by Tuberculosis and also encourages us to reinvigorate our efforts to combat this disease at global, regional, national and community levels.