Every year, March 24th is observed as World Tuberculosis Day. Department of Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nagpur conducted month-long activities to sensitise individuals, groups and community on prevention and control of tuberculosis.
To begin with, sessions were organized involving school students considering the fact that they are the future responsible citizens. A number of sensitization sessions were held throughout the month of the March by all the faculty members of department at three schools namely Gyan Vikas School, Manavata High School and Vishwas Madhyamik Vidyalaya.
Causation, Transmission, prevention, treatment and the social stigma attached to tuberculosis along with air-borne infection control were the thrust areas. Additionally, students were trained on practice of cough etiquette. Poster competitions and exhibitions were also held where a total of 120 students participated enthusiastically.
On the eve of World Tuberculosis Day, a community based awareness programme was organized at Nandanvan UPHC on March 23, wherein, all the staff members  of Nandanvan Urban Primary Health Centre, field level health and allied workers (ANMs, ASHA and Anganwadi workers) and local community members participated. District Tuberculosis Officer, Dr Mamta Shende, was the chief guest for this occasion. She gave a detailed deliberation on implementation of the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) at field level.
The other speakers were Dr Harish Kalamkar( Medical Officer, Nandanvan UPHC), Dr Pradeep Deshmukh (Professor and Head Department of Community Medicine), Dr Arvind Singh Kushwaha (Additional Professor, Department of Community Medicine) and Dr Ranjan Solanki (Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine).
Emphasis was given on the following issues: cough etiquette and safe disposal of sputum, role of field workers in active case detection; importance of early diagnosis and treatment initiation, adherence to treatment regime; responsibility of community in prevention of drug resistance; social aspects of tuberculosis such as stigma discrimination elimination and promotion of overall health and nutrition.
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