TB still a major public health problem
Experts say at confce
Staff Corespondent
Massive advocacy campaign is needed to combat Tuberculosis (TB) which is still a major public health problem in the country, said the experts at a conference yesterday. They said due to lack of awareness largely, an estimated 70,000 patients die of TB while 300,000 being infected afresh every year. The 'National Tuberculosis Conference 2005' was organised by Natab with the support of Global Fund for Aids, TB and Malaria (GFATM) at Diploma Engineers' Institute Auditorium in the city. The speakers said in terms of infection risks TB and Aids are closely linked, so combating TB in the backdrop of increasing number of HIV/AIDS cases in the country should be the highest priority. They said as the HIV infection rate has already reached beyond epidemic level among (8 percent) the intra-venous drug users (IDUs) it is time that massive advocacy on both the diseases should be launched immediately before it explodes. Health Secretary A F M Sarwar Kamal and Natab Secretary General Dr Sakhawat Hossain also spoke at the inaugural session of the conference chaired by its Vice-president Dr Mizanur Rahman Shelly.
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