Increase awareness in tuberculosis detection, take steps to eliminate the disease

World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is observed every year on March 24 to raise awareness about TB and take effective measures for its eradication. Tuberculosis (TB) remains a serious infectious disease worldwide, but it is preventable and curable with the right treatment.

Once, tuberculosis was such a dreadful disease that it was said, "Those who have tuberculosis have no salvation." However, TB treatment has now significantly improved, and it is now said that timely medical treatment can cure TB. However, in Bangladesh, it is still difficult to identify the disease on time. Recent surveys have shown that 18-22% of patients in Bangladesh remain undiagnosed for TB in a timely manner. Experts suggest that one of the main reasons Bangladesh is still lagging behind in TB elimination is the failure to detect all cases. People with TB are often reluctant to disclose their condition due to stigma, negligence, and lack of awareness. Furthermore, working individuals often hesitate to seek medical attention for diagnosis and would rather not miss work.

In addition, there are still several misconceptions about tuberculosis in Bangladesh. These misconceptions include: TB only affects the lungs, TB is a hereditary disease, TB only occurs if one engages in substance abuse, and that vaccination prevents TB entirely. Medical science has shown that Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium named Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria typically attack the lungs, but TB can spread to any part of the body, including the kidneys, spine, and brain. However, not everyone who carries the TB bacteria becomes ill.

According to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Bangladesh is one of the countries most affected by tuberculosis in the world. The National Tuberculosis Control Program has been running a Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) since 1993. However, there is still some gap in providing DOTS services to slum dwellers. Despite having an 81% success rate in identifying pulmonary TB and a 93% treatment success rate, delays in detection have caused the disease to spread further. Urban slum areas are at higher risk due to overcrowding, malnutrition, lack of ventilation, and unhealthy living conditions. People in these areas may come into contact with infected individuals either at home or at work.

Reports suggest that there is still not enough awareness about TB prevention in Bangladesh. Factors such as overcrowding, poverty, political instability, neglect of the healthcare system, and educational deficiencies are all contributing to this. However, tuberculosis is such a deadly disease that it can take the form of an epidemic if ignored. Therefore, it is imperative to stop neglecting the issue. We must now raise awareness in the identification of TB and take appropriate measures for its elimination. The role of doctors, educators, politicians, and everyone in society is crucial in the fight to eliminate tuberculosis.