Tuberculosis

#GS-02 Healthcare

Tuberculosis is a potentially deadly bacterial infectious disease that mainly targets the lungs.
TB is caused by a bacterium named Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
The bacteria that cause TB can be spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Most people infected with the bacteria that cause tuberculosis do not exhibit symptoms.
When symptoms do occur, they usually include a cough which can sometimes beblood-tinged, weight loss, night sweats and fever.
Treatment isn’t always necessary for those who do not show symptoms.
Patients who are presented with active symptoms will require a long course of treatment involving multiple antibiotics.

A patient can have a TB infection, but the bacteria in their body are inactive and causes no visible symptoms.
Latent TB is also called inactive TB or TB infection and it is not contagious.
Latent TB can turn into active TB, hence treatment is highly recommended.

Also known as TB disease, this condition makes you sick and, in most cases, can be contagious.
It can occur weeks or years after getting infected with the TB bacteria.

The National TB programme was launched in 1962 and the fight has been going on for the past 50 years.
RNTCP in its second phase during 2006–11, improved the quality and reach of services, and worked to reach global case detection and cure targets
However, to eliminate TB in India by 2025 which is five years ahead of the global target, RNTCP created the National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis Elimination 2017-2025.
It is a framework to guide the activities of all stakeholders including the national and state governments, development partners, civil society organizations, international agencies, research institutions, private sector, and many others whose work is relevant to TB elimination in India.
National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis Elimination have been integrated into the four strategic pillars of “Detect – Treat – Prevent – Build”

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