Fighting tuberculosis and the stigma attached to it
The social taboo attached to tuberculosis has resulted in people hiding their disease, something that has contributed in the significant increase in the spread of the disease. Photo: Dunya News
(Dunya News) – Owing to the social stigma associated with tuberculosis that has forced patients to hide their disease from the society, Pakistan ranks 6th among the world’s 22 countries which are most affected by it.
Prolonged coughing that continues over two weeks, fever during the evenings, excessive sweating during the night and drastic decrease in weight are just some of the symptoms of tuberculosis. While this disease may affect various parts of the body, the one that affects the lungs is considered to be the most dangerous kind.
This disease may affect various parts of the body, but the one that affects the lungs is considered to be the most dangerous kind. Photo: Dunya News
On this World Tuberculosis Day, doctors are calling for special attention towards generating awareness among the masses about the disease. According to Dr. Mohammad Rafique, a general physician, the spread of this disease is owing to an infected individual’s cough that may infect people in close proximity. The inhaling of droplet infection by others can in turn infect their lungs, he explains.
People living in dark alleys devoid of sunlight, and localities which are deprived of sewerage facilities are at greater risk of being affected by this disease.
The social taboo attached to tuberculosis has resulted in people hiding their disease, something that has contributed in the significant increase in the spread of the disease. This is despite the fact that there is suitable treatment available for the disease with the government also providing free medicine to those affected by it.
The government is also providing free medicine to those affected by it. Photo: Dunya News
Dr. Rafique says the treatment is being provided for free by the government. He says clinics have also been nominated at various places by the government with doctors offering free medical advice.
Through precautionary measures and awareness programs, a decrease can be brought about in the number of people – which currently stands at a little over than 300,000 – affected by it.
For more on this, watch a report by Dunya News below.
