TB Competence Requests - Community life competence2024-03-28T17:17:47Zhttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/group/tbcompetence/forum?feed=yes&xn_auth=noWhat does making TB a notifiable disease mean to us?tag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2012-05-10:2028109:Topic:964022012-05-10T07:56:04.651Zbobby ramakanthttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/bobbyramakant
<p><b>What does making TB a notifiable disease mean to us?</b></p>
<p>(CNS): On one hand the Indian Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) needs to be complimented for making tuberculosis (TB) a notifiable disease, but on the other hand there are words of caution and oft-repeated list of actions RNTCP should consider to reach the unreached populations who need TB services. Probably in response to the alarm bells that went ringing when Mumbai reported ‘total drug-resistant TB cases’ the…</p>
<p><b>What does making TB a notifiable disease mean to us?</b></p>
<p>(CNS): On one hand the Indian Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) needs to be complimented for making tuberculosis (TB) a notifiable disease, but on the other hand there are words of caution and oft-repeated list of actions RNTCP should consider to reach the unreached populations who need TB services. Probably in response to the alarm bells that went ringing when Mumbai reported ‘total drug-resistant TB cases’ the government has taken the step to make TB a notifiable disease.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Making TB a notifiable disease, will, perhaps, yield some positive outcomes – for instance, all private doctors or healthcare providers, laboratories and other caregivers will have to report every single case of TB to the government which will surely give a more real situation analysis of the burden of TB, where TB patients are getting treated and who is treating them (public or private healthcare centres), and other data that might have a positive outcome on public health.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>According to an advisory of Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Access Campaign, Dr Ashok Kumar, Director General, TB Division, Ministry of Health, Government of India, said in an IBN Live TV news: "It is essential to have compete information of all TB cases. Therefore, the healthcare providers shall notify every TB case to local authorities, that is, district health officers or Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) of the district and Municipal health officers of a municipal corporation, every month in a given format."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>However this may also boomerang – especially for those populations who are currently unreached and might be forced to go underground for a range of reasons and refrain from accessing public or private healthcare system. This will clearly have a very profound negative impact on TB control and health system in general. According to the RNTCP, it had achieved a ‘new sputum positive TB case detection rate’ of more than 73% in 2010. This also implies that the RNTCP is not reaching to, at least, 27% of estimated number of people who need TB care services. Will making TB a notifiable disease really help us reach these unreached populations – is a big question to which we see no clear answer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>We also apprehend confidentiality related issues, and forcibly treating patients that are defaulting in confinement or isolation wards, among other concerns.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There is another brewing human rights question. With close to 100,000 people estimated to contract multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) in India annually, the RNTCP has provided standard treatment to only 3610 patients since the inception of DOTS-Plus programme (source: RNTCP Report, December 2011). By its own admission, the RNTCP aims to deliver MDR-TB treatment to only about 30,000 patients by 2013 thus leaving out 70,000 who will still be in dire need of MDR-TB treatment, care and support services every year. Turning down, or not reaching out, or not being able to reach out, to the remaining 70,000 cases (as per current estimates) is, honestly, unacceptable in terms of public health as well as social justice – and – a looming human rights emergency.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When there will be no treatment provided by the RNTCP for every person who needs MDR-TB treatment, care and support, making every TB case notifiable, might have very far-reaching serious consequences for the patient, her family and TB control in general. Has the government considered the impact of a positive diagnosis of drug-resistant TB on the patient, her family and community, when the treatment may not be available for her? Presently MDR-TB treatment is available to less than 3% and 97% of those-in-need are denied treatment, care and support for MDR-TB. In communities that are identified to be at higher risk of TB such as injecting drug users, illegal migrants, people living with HIV (PLHIV), among others, making TB a notifiable disease might not bear positive public health results.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>We cannot agree more with Leena Menghaney of MSF Access Campaign: “Civil society should call for an open discussion and debate with RNTCP on the benefits of the policy of compulsory notification of TB cases to the TB authorities. What happens if patients face stigma and discrimination if the policy is implemented wrongly? Will this not drive patients to seek care much later or even disappear? At a minimum the government should have had a dialogue on how to ensure that the policy will be implemented with a guarantee of medical confidentiality, psychosocial support and access to the most appropriate treatment as per WHO guidelines.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Making TB a notifiable disease alone will not help unless accompanied by a very sensitive approach that ensures that no negative public health or social justice outcome is allowed to negate the gains made by TB control in the past years.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Genuinely engaging affected communities in TB programmes as equal partners with dignity, ensuring quality counseling in TB programmes, improving treatment and health literacy, addressing TB related stigma and discrimination that still is rampant in our society, thinking beyond DOTS when it comes to treatment provision, integrating TB programmes with other development programmes such as those on nutrition, sanitation, harm reduction, HIV, diabetes, among others, monitoring irrational use of drugs, strengthening health systems, and many such measures will yield more sustainable and positive public health and social justice outcomes. (CNS)</p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Shobha Shukla and Bobby Ramakant - CNS</b></p>
<p><i>(This article is jointly written by Shobha Shukla, Managing Editor, Citizen News Service (CNS) and Bobby Ramakant, Director (Policy and Programmes), CNS. Email: <a href="mailto:stopTB@citizen-news.org">stopTB@citizen-news.org</a>, website: <a href="http://www.citizen-news.org">www.citizen-news.org</a>)</i></p> Perspectives From The Frontlines: Drug-resistant TB and HIVtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2012-04-05:2028109:Topic:946092012-04-05T08:01:49.200Zbobby ramakanthttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/bobbyramakant
<p><strong>Perspectives From The Frontlines: Drug-resistant TB and HIV</strong><br></br>Citizen News Service (CNS)<br></br>**************************<br></br><br></br>[Mods Note: : For continued information exchange and online dialogue on tuberculosis, join the new Stop-TB eForum! Send an email to: Stop-TB-subscribe@yahoogroups.com . Thanks]<br></br>**************************<br></br><br></br>Dear friends,<br></br><br></br>The Citizen News Service (CNS) is sharing a series of case studies of people living with HIV who are also…</p>
<p><strong>Perspectives From The Frontlines: Drug-resistant TB and HIV</strong><br/>Citizen News Service (CNS)<br/>**************************<br/><br/>[Mods Note: : For continued information exchange and online dialogue on tuberculosis, join the new Stop-TB eForum! Send an email to: Stop-TB-subscribe@yahoogroups.com . Thanks]<br/>**************************<br/><br/>Dear friends,<br/><br/>The Citizen News Service (CNS) is sharing a series of case studies of people living with HIV who are also dealing with drug-resistant TB in Mumbai, India. We thank the Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders with helping with these interviews with people on the frontlines.<br/><br/>1. A Caring Treatment Conquers All Odds: Story of Shanti<br/>Online at: <a href="http://www.citizen-news.org/2012/03/caring-treatment-conquers-all-odds.html">http://www.citizen-news.org/2012/03/caring-treatment-conquers-all-odds.html</a><br/><br/>2. Chandrika's Fight Against The Deadly Virus-Bacteria Duo<br/>Online at: <a href="http://www.citizen-news.org/2012/04/chandrikas-fight-against-deadly-virus.html">http://www.citizen-news.org/2012/04/chandrikas-fight-against-deadly-virus.html</a><br/><br/>3. A Commoner's Fight Against HIV and Drug Resistant TB<br/>Online at: <a href="http://www.citizen-news.org/2012/04/sukhrams-fight-against-deadly-duo-of.html">http://www.citizen-news.org/2012/04/sukhrams-fight-against-deadly-duo-of.html</a><br/><br/>Please be welcome to share the above perspectives from the frontlines widely with your team members and partners or other channels such as websites, eForums, social media platforms, among others.<br/><br/>Kind regards<br/><br/>Bobby Ramakant<br/>Citizen News Service (CNS)<br/>Email: bobby@citizen-news.org<br/><br/></p> Experiences in addressing the challenge of diagnosis of TBtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2011-08-11:2028109:Topic:688332011-08-11T15:41:10.054ZRituu B. Nandahttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/RituuBNanda94
<p>Dear Bobby and TB competence friends,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I wanted to draw your attention to the appended write up. We often find it is a challenge to diagnose TB especially in cases of extra-pulmonary TB or asymptomatic patients especially in countries where the resources and facilities for both radiographic and microbiologic diagnoses are often limited or nonexistent, and it may have implications with regard to treatment decisions. What are your experiences in this issue?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Warm…</p>
<p>Dear Bobby and TB competence friends,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I wanted to draw your attention to the appended write up. We often find it is a challenge to diagnose TB especially in cases of extra-pulmonary TB or asymptomatic patients especially in countries where the resources and facilities for both radiographic and microbiologic diagnoses are often limited or nonexistent, and it may have implications with regard to treatment decisions. What are your experiences in this issue?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Warm regards,</p>
<p>Rituu</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Blood Tests for Active TB Not Accurate or Cost-Effective</strong><b><br/> <em>Based on Data, WHO Advises Against Use of Blood Antibody Test for Active TB</em></b></p>
<p>Commercial blood serum antibody tests—widely used in India and other developing countries to diagnose active tuberculosis—are not accurate or cost-effective, according to an analysis by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the University of Washington School of Public Health and McGill University. Use of serological tests in India resulted in more DALYs (years of healthy life lost to premature death and illness), more secondary infections, and more false-positive diagnoses of TB, compared to the use of microscopic sputum smear analysis or culture. The findings, published in the August 9, 2011 edition of <a href="http://www.plosmedicine.org/home.action" target="_blank"><em>PLoS Medicine</em></a>, recently led the World Health Organization to recommend against the use of commercial serology tests in the diagnosis of active TB.</p>
<p>"Microscopic analysis of sputum for TB is cheap and widely available, but misses half of all TB cases," said <a href="http://www.jhsph.edu/faculty/directory/profile/5157/Dowdy/David_W.">David Dowdy</a>, MD PhD, lead author of the study and assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. "TB culture, the current gold standard, requires training and equipment not available in most resource-limited settings. Serological tests are simpler and faster than culture, and are also commercially available in India, so they are an attractive option in theory. However, we found that they are not accurate enough to be useful—after accounting for missed and false-positive TB diagnoses, serological tests cost more and delivered less than either microscopy or culture. Quite simply, serological tests should not be used to diagnose active TB."</p>
<p>For the study, Dowdy and his colleagues constructed a mathematical model to analyze 1.5 million patients with suspected active TB in India—about 15% of India’s annual TB burden. Their analysis concluded that use of serology would result in an estimated 14,000 more TB diagnoses than microscopy, but would also incorrectly diagnose 121,000 more patients without active TB (false-positives). Serology use would also generate 102,000 more DALYs and 32,000 more secondary TB cases compared to microscopy. The estimated total cost of serologic testing (including treatment of newly diagnosed cases) was approximately four times that of microscopy, at $47.5 million versus $11.9 million.</p>
<p>“Unfortunately, we still do not have an accurate point-of-care test for TB, as we have for infections like HIV or malaria. The WHO policy strongly encourages future research to develop novel or improved serological tests,” said the study’s senior author, Madhukar Pai, MD, PhD, associate professor at McGill University and the Respiratory, Epidemiology and Clinical Research Unit at the Montreal Chest Institute and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre.</p>
<p>Funding for the research was provided by the Stop TB Partnership’s New Diagnostics Working Group, via the subgroup on Evidence Synthesis, and support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).</p>
<p><a href="http://www.jhsph.edu/publichealthnews/press_releases/2011/dowdy_tb_blood_tests.html">http://www.jhsph.edu/publichealthnews/press_releases/2011/dowdy_tb_...</a></p> Action: World TB Day (24 March): On the move against tuberculosis towards eliminationtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2011-03-21:2028109:Topic:400142011-03-21T03:31:31.579Zbobby ramakanthttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/bobbyramakant
<p>Action: World TB Day (24 March): On the move against tuberculosis towards elimination</p>
<p>Source: Stop TB Partnership</p>
<p>******************************</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>TRANSFORMING THE FIGHT TOWARDS ELIMINATION</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dear TB Competence members,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For World TB Day 2011 we enter the second year of a two-year campaign, "On the move against tuberculosis" whose goal is to inspire innovation in TB research and care.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This year's…</p>
<p>Action: World TB Day (24 March): On the move against tuberculosis towards elimination</p>
<p>Source: Stop TB Partnership</p>
<p>******************************</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>TRANSFORMING THE FIGHT TOWARDS ELIMINATION</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dear TB Competence members,</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For World TB Day 2011 we enter the second year of a two-year campaign, "On the move against tuberculosis" whose goal is to inspire innovation in TB research and care.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This year's campaign challenges us to look at the fight against TB in an entirely new way: that every step we take should be a step towards TB elimination.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The campaign is inspired by the ambitious new objectives and targets of the Global Plan to Stop TB 2011-2015: Transforming the Fight-Towards Elimination of Tuberculosis, which was launched by the Stop TB Partnership in October 2010. This new plan, for the first time, identifies all the research gaps that need to be filled to bring rapid TB tests, faster treatment regimens and a fully effective vaccine to market. It also shows public health programmes how to drive universal access to TB care, including how to modernize diagnostic laboratories and adopt revolutionary TB tests that have recently become available.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The campaign will focus once again on individuals around the world who have found new ways to stop TB and can serve as an inspiration to others. The idea is to recognize people who have introduced a variety of innovations in a variety of settings.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>WORLD TB DAY BLOG</strong></p>
<p>******************</p>
<p>Members are encouraged to speak their world online at the World TB Day blog, go to: <a href="http://www.worldtbday.org/">http://www.worldtbday.org/</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>DOWNLOAD RESOURCES ON WORLD TB DAY</strong></p>
<p>*******************</p>
<p>To download resources on World TB Day like campaign documents, key messages, posters etc, go to: <a href="http://www.stoptb.org/events/world_tb_day/2011/resources.html">http://www.stoptb.org/events/world_tb_day/2011/resources.html</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>KEY MESSAGES ON WORLD TB DAY (Source: Stop TB Partnership)</strong></p>
<p>****************************</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>IT'S TIME TO BREAK THE BARRIERS TO A WORLD FREE OF TB</strong></p>
<p>-----</p>
<p>TB programmes around the world save millions of lives every year, but we need to move faster. If we fail to step up action today, about 40 million people will become ill with TB and at least eight million will die unnecessarily between now and 2015. TB is an ancient disease, but today it is curable. In the 21st century, no one should die from TB.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>IT'S TIME FOR AN AMBITIOUS NEW RESEARCH AGENDA</strong></p>
<p>-----</p>
<p>Recent research has brought us new rapid diagnostics, which are coming to market this year. More research will take us to the next critical step: a simple point-of-care test that can be used in any basic health care setting and requires little technical knowledge. New drugs for MDR-TB are on the horizon. A stronger investment will make them available as soon as possible. We will not eliminate TB without a vaccine that is safe and effective in preventing the disease in people of all ages, but vaccine research is vastly underfunded. Funders need to step up their contribution to TB research today to achieve zero TB deaths tomorrow.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>IT'S TIME FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMMES TO REACH ALL TB PATIENTS</strong></p>
<p>-----</p>
<p>A third of people with TB are not reached with accurate diagnosis and appropriate care. Civil society, all health care providers – including those in the private sector – and businesses need to team up to drive universal access to TB care. It is a goal that also requires modernizing laboratories, ensuring reliable access to high-quality drugs and taking action to mobilize additional resources.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>IT'S TIME FOR AMBITIOUS NEW GOALS ON MDR-TB TREATMENT</strong></p>
<p>-----</p>
<p>We know what is needed to scale up MDR-TB treatment: strong commitment by governments, a reliable supply of high-quality drugs, an engaged health workforce and communities. We can reach the goals of the Global Plan to Stop TB 2011–2015 and push beyond them. By 2015, all people with MDR-TB should receive accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>IT'S TIME TO MOVE RAPIDLY TOWARDS ZERO DEATHS FROM TB/HIV</strong></p>
<p>-----------</p>
<p>Our goals are clear. By 2015, half as many people should die from HIV-associated TB. One hundred per cent of TB patients should be tested for HIV and 100% of people in HIV care services should be screened for TB. All people living with HIV should be receiving preventive treatment or anti-TB drugs as appropriate. The year 2011 is the time for a massive scale-up to realize universal access to TB/HIV services.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>For more information, go to: <a href="http://www.stoptb.org/">www.stoptb.org</a></p> CNS Stop-TB News Monitor: 2-4 July 2010tag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-07-04:2028109:Topic:233842010-07-04T13:41:54.114Zbobby ramakanthttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/bobbyramakant
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.citizen-news.org/">CNS</a> Stop-TB News Monitor</span>:<br />
2-4 July 2010</b><br></br><br></br><b>CNS Stop-TB News Monitor</b> provides a
snapshot of five major news pieces on tuberculosis (TB)<br />
prevention, treatment, care and support related issues, from<br />
around the <a>catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/2360371686_cd64e28b30_o.jpg""><img alt="" border="0" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/2360371686_cd64e28b30_o.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 73px; height: 51px;"></img></a> world, particularly prioritising news<br />
highlights from TB high-burdened countries and…
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.citizen-news.org/">CNS</a> Stop-TB News Monitor</span>:<br />
2-4 July 2010</b><br/><br/><b>CNS Stop-TB News Monitor</b> provides a
snapshot of five major news pieces on tuberculosis (TB)<br />
prevention, treatment, care and support related issues, from<br />
around the <a>catch(e) {}" href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/2360371686_cd64e28b30_o.jpg""><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 73px; height: 51px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/2360371686_cd64e28b30_o.jpg" alt="" border="0"/></a>world, particularly prioritising news<br />
highlights from TB high-burdened countries and links to major<br />
TB-related events or other advocacy opportunities. This is <span style="font-weight: bold;">issue 23</span> (2-4 July 2010).<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Speak-Your-World: <a href="http://stoptb.citizen-news.org/2010/07/online-dialogue-consultation-on-tb-hiv.html">Online
consultation on TB-HIV issues in lead up to the XVIII International<br />
AIDS Conference (IAC), Vienna</a></span><br/><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://stoptb.citizen-news.org/2010/07/online-dialogue-consultation-on-tb-hiv.html">CNS
Stop-TB Initiative</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span><br/>The
global <a href="http://www.healthdev.org/stop-tb">Stop-TB eForum</a><br />
is hosting an online consultation/ dialogue, on <span style="font-weight: bold;">key issues impeding TB and HIV collaborative<br />
activities in local contexts, from 2nd July to 6th of August 2010.</span> This<br />
is a period during which the <a href="http://www.aids2010.org/">XVIII<br />
International AIDS Conference</a> (IAC) shall also be held in Vienna,<br />
Austria. This online consultation/ dialogue and gives people dealing<br />
with TB and HIV an opportunity to speak their world, and inform the<br />
issue-framework which the Key Correspondents team facilitated by the <a href="http://www.aidsalliance.org/">International HIV/AIDS Alliance</a><br />
shall use on-site at the <a href="http://www.aids2010.org/">XVIII IAC</a><br />
in Vienna. The issues flagged by the members shall also shape the<br />
coverage generated by citizen journalists of other networks like <a href="http://www.citizen-news.org/">Citizen News Service</a> (CNS). <a href="http://stoptb.citizen-news.org/2010/07/online-dialogue-consultation-on-tb-hiv.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Read more</span></a><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. <a href="http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/07/james-connolly-committed-to.html">James
Connolly Committed to Accelerating the Development of New Vaccines to<br />
Prevent TB</a></span><br/><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/07/james-connolly-committed-to.html">Citizen
News Service - CNS</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span><br/>
The Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation today announced that James E.<br />
Connolly has been named President and Chief Executive Officer. He<br />
joins Aeras after a career in the pharmaceutical industry, most<br />
recently as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Wyeth<br />
Vaccines. He will take over as Aeras President and CEO on August 9,<br />
2010. <a href="http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/07/james-connolly-committed-to.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Read more</span></a><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. <a href="http://stoptb.citizen-news.org/2010/07/online-discussion-mini-series-tb-and.html">Online
discussion mini-series-1: TB and children</a></span><br/><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://stoptb.citizen-news.org/2010/07/online-discussion-mini-series-tb-and.html">CNS
Stop-TB Initiative</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span><br/>From
2nd to 9th of July 2010, members are encouraged to share their<br />
perspectives and experiences on issues related to TB in children. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">WHAT ARE YOUR EXPERIENCES IN:</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">diagnosing TB in children</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">; preventing TB in children</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">; TB infection control and children</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">; treating TB in children</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">; TB-HIV co-infection and children</span>.<br />
Members comments are most welcome. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Send<br />
your comments to: bobby@citizen-news.org</span> or join the global<br />
Stop-TB eForum by sending an email to:<br />
join-stop-tb@eforums.healthdev.org . <a href="http://stoptb.citizen-news.org/2010/07/online-discussion-mini-series-tb-and.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Read more</span></a><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. <a href="http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/article527912.ece/Somali-Islamists-urge-boycott-of-independence-anniversary">Somalia
Islamists say observing World TB Day, Health Day, is un-islamic</a></span><br/><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/article527912.ece/Somali-Islamists-urge-boycott-of-independence-anniversary">Times
Live</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span><br/>Events such as
World TB Day should not be observed as they were un-Islamic, say Somalia<br />
Islamists. "Marking and celebrating for the events like <span style="font-weight: bold;">Health day and Tuberculosis day is not also<br />
mentioned in the holy Koran</span> and so that partying for those days<br />
is totally banned in Islam". <a href="http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/article527912.ece/Somali-Islamists-urge-boycott-of-independence-anniversary"><span style="font-style: italic;">Read more</span></a><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. <a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_not-just-poor-even-the-mumbai-affluent-class-is-hit-by-tb_1404087">Not
just poor, even Mumbai affluent class is hit by tuberculosis (TB)</a></span><br/><span style="font-style: italic;">(Source:</span> <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_not-just-poor-even-the-mumbai-affluent-class-is-hit-by-tb_1404087">Daily
News & Analysis - DNA</a><span style="font-style: italic;">)</span><br/>According
to the recent observations made by the Mumbai District TB Control<br />
Society (MDTCS), most people from the affluent class in the city are<br />
suffering from extra pulmonary TB <span style="font-style: italic;">(any<br />
TB outside of lungs)</span>. <a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_not-just-poor-even-the-mumbai-affluent-class-is-hit-by-tb_1404087"><span style="font-style: italic;">Read more</span></a><br/><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span">-----------------------------------------------------------------</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br/></span></span></span></span><div style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br/></span></div>
<b><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span">WATCH THESE DATES!</span></span></span></b><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://stoptb.org/events/default.asp?EID=327"></a></span></span><a href="http://stoptb.org/events/default.asp?EID=373"></a><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br/><a href="http://www.aids2010.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span">July
18-23: XVIII International AIDS Conference, Vienna, Austria</span></a></span></span><div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://stoptb.org/wg/new_vaccines/assets/documents/save%20the%20date.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span">September 21-24: 2nd Global Forum on TB Vaccines, Estonia</span></a></span></span></div>
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><a href="http://www.worldlunghealth.org/confBerlin/index.php?lang=en"><span class="Apple-style-span">November 11-15: 41st Union World Conference on Lung Health, Berlin, Germany</span></a></span></span></div>
<div style="color: blue;"></div>
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span">-----------------------------------------------------------------</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br/></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><br/>USEFUL LINKS!</b><br/></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">To download the 2010 report with new WHO data,</span></span> <a href="http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241599191_eng.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Multidrug and Extensively Drug-Resistant<br />
Tuberculosis: 2010 Global Report on Surveillance and Response</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">, click</span></span> <a href="http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241599191_eng.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">here</span></span></a></span></span><div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br/></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">To download or read the</span></span> <a href="http://stoptb.org/global/plan/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Global Plan
to Stop TB (2006-2015)</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">, click</span></span> <a href="http://stoptb.org/global/plan/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">here</span></span></a></span></span></div>
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">To download or read</span></span> <a href="http://stoptb.org/assets/documents/resources/publications/plan_strategy/The_Stop_TB_Strategy_Final.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">The Stop TB Strategy</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">, click</span></span> <a href="http://stoptb.org/assets/documents/resources/publications/plan_strategy/The_Stop_TB_Strategy_Final.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">here</span></span></a></span></span></div>
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br/></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">To subscribe to the</span></span> <a href="http://www.healthdev.org/stop-tb"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">global Stop-TB eForum</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">, established by</span></span> <a href="http://www.hdnet.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Health &
Development Networks (HDN)</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">, send an email to:<br />
join-stop-tb@eforums.healthdev.org</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br/></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">To download or read the</span></span> <a href="http://www.who.int/entity/tb/publications/2006/patients_charter.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Patients' Charter for Tuberculosis Care (PCTC)</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">, click</span></span> <a href="http://www.who.int/entity/tb/publications/2006/patients_charter.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">here</span></span></a></span></span></div>
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br/></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">To download or read the</span></span> <a href="http://www.istcweb.org/documents/ISTC_Report_2ndEd_Nov2009.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">International Standards of Tuberculosis Care</span></span></a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">(ISTC), click</span></span> <a href="http://www.istcweb.org/documents/ISTC_Report_2ndEd_Nov2009.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">here</span></span></a></span></span></div>
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br/></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b style="color: black;">Know more about</b>:</span></span> <a href="http://www.action.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Advocacy to Control TB Internationally (ACTION)</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">,</span></span> <a href="http://www.arasa.info/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">AIDS and
Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA)</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">,</span></span> <a href="http://www.theunion.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">International<br />
Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union)</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">,</span></span> <a href="http://www.tbalert.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">TB Alert</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">,</span></span> <a href="http://www.tbhivcare.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">TB/HIV Care<br />
Association</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">,</span></span> <a href="http://www.tbvi.eu/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">TuBerculosis<br />
Vaccine Initiative (TBVI)</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">,</span></span> <a href="http://www.worldcarecouncil.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">World Care<br />
Council</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">, [to<br />
feature your organisation, send an email to: bobby@citizen-news.org]</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">-----------------------------------------------------------------</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br/>This <span style="font-weight: bold;">CNS Stop-TB News Monitor</span> is produced by</span></span> <a href="http://www.citizen-news.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">CNS</span></span></a> <a href="http://stoptb.citizen-news.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Stop-TB
Initiative</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">, a partner<br />
of</span></span> <a href="http://www.stoptb.org/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Stop TB Partnership</span></span></a></span></span> Online discussion mini-series I: TB and Childrentag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-07-02:2028109:Topic:232062010-07-02T09:40:40.263Zbobby ramakanthttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/bobbyramakant
<p class="MsoPlainText">Action: Online discussion mini-series I: TB and Children</p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText">Stop-TB eForum Resource Team</p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText">******************************</p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText"> </p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText">[Mods note: To JOIN the global Stop-TB eForum, send an email to: <a href="mailto:join-stop-TB@eforums.healthdev.org">join-stop-TB@eforums.healthdev.org</a> . To read the first announcement of the online discussion, go to:…</p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Action: Online discussion mini-series I: TB and Children</p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText">Stop-TB eForum Resource Team</p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText">******************************</p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText"> </p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText">[Mods note: To JOIN the global Stop-TB eForum, send an email to: <a href="mailto:join-stop-TB@eforums.healthdev.org">join-stop-TB@eforums.healthdev.org</a>
. To read the first announcement of the online discussion, go to: <a href="http://stoptb.citizen-news.org/2010/07/online-dialogue-consultation-on-tb-hiv.html">http://stoptb.citizen-news.org/2010/07/online-dialogue-consultation-on-tb-hiv.html</a><br />
. Thanks]</p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText">******************************</p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style=""> </span></p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText">Dear members,</p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText"> </p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText">BACKGROUND:</p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText">As you know, the global Stop-TB eForum is hosting an online consultation/ dialogue, on key issues impeding TB and HIV collaborative
activities in local contexts, from 2nd July to 6th of August 2010. This is a<br />
period during which the XVIII International AIDS Conference (IAC) shall also be<br />
held in Vienna, Austria. This online consultation/ dialogue gives people<br />
dealing with TB and HIV an opportunity to SPEAK THEIR WORLD, and inform the<br />
issue-framework which the Key Correspondents team facilitated by the<br />
International HIV/AIDS Alliance shall use on-site at the XVIII IAC in Vienna.<br />
The issues flagged by the members shall also shape the coverage generated by<br />
citizen journalists of other networks like Citizen News Service (CNS).</p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText"> </p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-weight: bold;">MINI-SERIES I: TB and Children</span></p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText">*******************************</p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText">From 2nd to 9th of July 2010, members are encouraged to share their perspectives and experiences on issues related to TB in children.</p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText"> </p>
<br />
<p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoPlainText">WHAT ARE YOUR EXPERIENCES IN:</p>
<br />
<p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoPlainText">- diagnosing TB in children</p>
<br />
<p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoPlainText">- preventing TB in children</p>
<br />
<p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoPlainText">- TB infection control and children</p>
<br />
<p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoPlainText">- treating TB in children</p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-weight: bold;">- TB-HIV co-infection and children</span></p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText"> </p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText">Members comments are most welcome.</p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText"> </p>
<br />
<p class="MsoPlainText">Stop-TB eForum Resource Team</p> Speak-Your-World: Online dialogue/ consultation on TB-HIV issues, around the XVIII IACtag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-07-02:2028109:Topic:232032010-07-02T06:42:39.875Zbobby ramakanthttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/bobbyramakant
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="margin: 0px; xg-p: relative; font: bold 22px Arial,Tahoma,Helvetica,FreeSans,sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="margin: 0px; xg-p: relative; font: bold 22px Arial,Tahoma,Helvetica,FreeSans,sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stoptb.citizen-news.org/2010/07/online-dialogue-consultation-on-tb-hiv.html" style="text-decoration: none; color: inherit;">Online dialogue/ consultation on TB-HIV around the XVIII IAC</a></span></h3>
<div class="post-body entry-content" style="width: 556px; xg-p: relative; line-height: 1.4;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; font-size: medium;"><a href="http://static.flickr.com/4023/4345518893_5a5702ef5e_s.jpg" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(58, 0, 204); clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="http://static.flickr.com/4023/4345518893_5a5702ef5e_s.jpg" style="border: 1px solid transparent; xg-p: relative; padding: 8px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" border="0"/></a></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 242, 204);">[To </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 242, 204);">join<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 242, 204);">the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 242, 204);">global Stop-TB eForum</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 242, 204);">, send an email to: join-stop-tb@eforums.healthdev.org]</span><br/><br/>The global<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.healthdev.org/stop-tb" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(204, 0, 175);">Stop-TB eForum</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is hosting an online consultation/ dialogue, on key issues impeding TB and HIV collaborative activities in local contexts, from 2nd July to 6th of August 2010. This is a period during which the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.aids2010.org/" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(58, 0, 204);">XVIII International AIDS Conference</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(IAC) shall also be held in Vienna, Austria.<br/><br/>This online consultation/ dialogue and gives people dealing with TB and HIV an opportunity to speak their world, and inform the issue-framework which the Key Correspondents team facilitated by the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.aidsalliance.org/" style="text-decoration: underline; color: rgb(120, 77, 230);">International HIV/AIDS Alliance</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>shall use on-site at the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.aids2010.org/" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(58, 0, 204);">XVIII IAC</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>in Vienna. The issues flagged by the members shall also shape the coverage generated by citizen journalists of other networks like<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.citizen-news.org/" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(204, 0, 175);">Citizen News Service</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(CNS).<br/><br/><b>MINI-SERIES</b><br/>The online dialogue/consultation spanning five weeks (2nd of July to 6th of August) will be a mini-series of a group of sub-themes:<br/><br/><b>CORE-THEME:</b><br/>2nd July-6th August: Members are encouraged to raise the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>key issues impeding TB and HIV collaborative activities in their local contexts</b><br/><br/><b>SUB-THEMES FOR MINI-SERIES:</b><br/>- 2-9 July: TB and children<br/>- 10-18 July: Anti-TB Drug resistance: how can we prevent it in our local contexts?<br/>- 19-25 July: TB-HIV co-infection: What's happening and what could be done better?<br/>- 25 July - 6 August: New tools: TB Vaccines<br/><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> * Why we need a TB vaccine</span><br/><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> * Vaccine science and clinical trials basics</span><br/><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> * Vaccines research as part of the comprehensive response to TB</span><br/><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> * How communities are being involved in the process</span><br/><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> * What can be done to support and accelerate research</span><br/><br/>Be welcome to speak your world!<br/><br/><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 242, 204);">Stop-TB eForum Resource Team</span></b><br/><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 242, 204);">[To<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 242, 204);">join</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: rgb(255, 242, 204);">, send an email to: join-stop-tb@eforums.healthdev.org]</span></span></div> Stop-TB News Monitor: 28 June - 1 July 2010tag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-07-01:2028109:Topic:231502010-07-01T05:39:41.816Zbobby ramakanthttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/bobbyramakant
(1) Tuberculosis troubles, often without symptoms; (2) Gender-related factors influencing tuberculosis control; (3) Former inmate suing Brunswick County after contracting tuberculosis in jail; (4) Czech health ministry may end compulsory TB vaccination; (5) Fighting TB in Asia: Public and private health sector should partner up<br></br><br></br>To read it online, click <a href="http://stoptb.citizen-news.org/2010/06/cns-stop-tb-news-monitor-28-june-1-july.html">here</a> or go to:…
(1) Tuberculosis troubles, often without symptoms; (2) Gender-related factors influencing tuberculosis control; (3) Former inmate suing Brunswick County after contracting tuberculosis in jail; (4) Czech health ministry may end compulsory TB vaccination; (5) Fighting TB in Asia: Public and private health sector should partner up<br/><br/>To read it online, click <a href="http://stoptb.citizen-news.org/2010/06/cns-stop-tb-news-monitor-28-june-1-july.html">here</a> or go to: <a href="http://stoptb.citizen-news.org/2010/06/cns-stop-tb-news-monitor-28-june-1-july.html">http://stoptb.citizen-news.org/2010/06/cns-stop-tb-news-monitor-28-june-1-july.html</a><br/> Speak-Your-World: Inform the NGO representative of Stop TB Partnership before 3 Maytag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-04-27:2028109:Topic:205512010-04-27T07:53:40.953Zbobby ramakanthttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/bobbyramakant
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">The next Coordinating Board meeting<br />
of the Stop TB Partnership will be held during 4-5 May 2010. The NGO<br />
Representative Sandeep Ahuja is seeking feedback from the community<br />
dealing with TB on daily basis. Please take this opportunity and<br />
highlight key issues related to TB responses. Thanks</span><br></br><br></br>Online at:…
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">The next Coordinating Board meeting<br />
of the Stop TB Partnership will be held during 4-5 May 2010. The NGO<br />
Representative Sandeep Ahuja is seeking feedback from the community<br />
dealing with TB on daily basis. Please take this opportunity and<br />
highlight key issues related to TB responses. Thanks</span><br/><br/>Online at: <a href="http://stoptb.citizen-news.org/2010/04/inform-ngo-representative-of-stop-tb.html">http://stoptb.citizen-news.org/2010/04/inform-ngo-representative-of-stop-tb.html</a><br/> World Health Day (7th April): 2010 is Year of the Lungstag:aidscompetence.ning.com,2010-04-07:2028109:Topic:198522010-04-07T08:57:02.035Zbobby ramakanthttps://aidscompetence.ning.com/profile/bobbyramakant
<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">World Health Day (7th April): 2010 is Year of<br />
the Lungs</span></span> <br></br><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">[Notes:
<br></br>1) To read this
post in <a href="http://hindi-cns.blogspot.com/2009/12/blog-post_24.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Hindi</b> language</a> ,<br />
<br />
click <a href="http://hindi-cns.blogspot.com/2009/12/blog-post_24.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> <br></br>2)
7th of April is…</span>
<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-size: 130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">World Health Day (7th April): 2010 is Year of<br />
the Lungs</span></span> <br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">[Notes:
<br/>1) To read this
post in <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://hindi-cns.blogspot.com/2009/12/blog-post_24.html"><b>Hindi</b> language</a> ,<br />
<br />
click <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://hindi-cns.blogspot.com/2009/12/blog-post_24.html">here</a> <br/>2)
7th of April is World Health Day, to read <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/04/world-health-day.html"><b>Urbanization<br />
and Health in spotlight on World Health Day</b></a> , click <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/04/world-health-day.html">here</a> <br />
]<br/>*************************************************<br/><br/>The
year<br />
2010 was declared as year of the lungs to recognize that hundreds<br />
of millions of people around the world suffer each year from treatable<br />
and</span> <span style="color: rgb(32, 18, 77);">preventable chronic<br />
respiratory diseases. This initiative acknowledges that lung health has<br />
long been neglected in public discourses, and understands the need to<br />
unify different health advocates behind one purpose of lung health,<br />
informed Dr Nils Billo, Chair of the Forum of International Respiratory<br />
Societies (FIRS).</span><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/01/2010-is-year-of-lungs.html"></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><br/></span><br/>The
FIRS partners include the International Union Against Tuberculosis and<br />
Lung Disease (The Union), American Thoracic Society (ATS), Asian<br />
Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR), Asociacion Latinoamericana de<br />
Torax (ALAT), European Respiratory Society (ERS), Pan African Thoracic<br />
Society and American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP).<br/><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Earlier
last year, the New York Times carried a series of articles on different<br />
parts of human body, but forgot the lungs! It is difficult to remain<br />
alive without lungs for more than few seconds!</span><br/><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">The
Declaration signed by the partners of the Forum of International<br />
Respiratory Societies (FIRS) at the 40th Union World Conference on Lung<br />
Health last year read as following:</span><br/><i><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">[Begin]</span></i><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">WE NOTE WITH GRAVE CONCERN THAT:</span><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Hundreds
of millions of people around the world suffer each year from treatable<br />
and preventable respiratory diseases, including tuberculosis (TB),<br />
asthma, lung cancer, H1N1, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary<br />
disease (COPD).</span><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">WE
RECOGNIZE THAT:</span><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Despite
the magnitude of suffering and death caused by lung disease, lung<br />
health has long been neglected in public discourse and in public health<br />
decisions.</span><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">WE CALL UPON
OUR PARTNERS TO:</span><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Enact
smoking cessation legislation and programs to reduce the prevalence and<br />
stigma of tobacco-related lung diseases.</span><br/><i><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">[Ends]</span></i><br/><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">There
are a range of health and environmental factors that affect our lung<br />
health. This includes tuberculosis (TB), tobacco smoke, biomass fuel<br />
smoke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, pneumonia among<br />
other respiratory infections. The evidence of their potentially<br />
devastating effects on global public health is increasing and they<br />
require a coordinated approach for control. These diseases all occur in<br />
predominantly resource-poor countries. They are perpetuated by poverty<br />
and inadequate resources and their control and management require<br />
coordinated approach among health programmes at all levels.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Statistically,
there is 1 TB-related death that takes place every 18 seconds, 1 HIV<br />
death every 16 seconds, 1 child dies of pneumonia every 15 seconds and<br />
1 smoking-related death every 13 seconds. The enormous public challenge<br />
posed by the combined epidemics of tobacco smoking, HIV, TB and COPD,<br />
is undoubtedly alarming.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">More
than 2 billion people or a third of the world's total population, are<br />
infected with mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is now the<br />
world's seventh-leading cause of death. It killed 1.8 million people<br />
worldwide last year, up from 1.77 million in 2007. It is one of the<br />
three primary diseases that are closely linked to poverty, the other<br />
two being AIDS and malaria.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Tobacco
smoking is unquestionably the primary risk factor for COPD. More than 5<br />
million deaths are attributed to tobacco use every year. Smokers have<br />
two fold higher risk of developing active TB disease. Tobacco smokers<br />
have 2 times more risk of dieing of TB. Tobacco smoke increases the<br />
risk of pneumonia, influenza, menningococcal meningitis, among others.<br />
Evidence is accumulating that smoking is a risk factor for TB. However<br />
there is no published data on the cellular interactions of tobacco<br />
smoke and mycobacterium tuberculosis. The risk to develop active TB<br />
disease is higher when tobacco smoking is combined with alcohol.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Dr
Donald Enarson stressed that tobacco smoking cessation is an important<br />
part of the comprehensive tobacco control programme, and not the only<br />
part. So all components of the comprehensive tobacco control measures<br />
should be implemented for improving public health outcomes. Dr Enarson<br />
was referring to MPOWER report from Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI) of<br />
WHO which outlines the MPOWER package, a set of six key tobacco control<br />
measures that reflect and build on the WHO Framework Convention on<br />
Tobacco Control (FCTC, global tobacco treaty). Another delegates<br />
remarked that MPOWER is in line with the global tobacco treaty - FCTC -<br />
and we should be demanding implementation of the treaty to which<br />
governments have committed to enforce. The WHO FCTC is the first public<br />
health and corporate accountability treaty, said a delegate from India.<br />
Comprehensive tobacco control programmes can yield major public health<br />
outcomes, as 30% of male TB patients die of tobacco smoking.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Asthma
is yet another major lung health challenge. It is a chronic disease<br />
that affects airways. When people have asthma, the inside walls of<br />
their airways become sore and swollen. That makes them very sensitive,<br />
and they may react strongly to things that they are allergic to or find<br />
irritating. When airways react, they get narrower and lungs get less<br />
air. This can cause wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and trouble<br />
breathing, especially early in the morning or at night. When asthma<br />
symptoms become worse than usual, it's called an asthma attack. In a<br />
severe asthma attack, the airways can close so much that vital organs<br />
do not get enough oxygen. People can die from severe asthma attacks.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">More
than 300 million people around the world have asthma, and the disease<br />
imposes a heavy burden on individuals, families, and societies. The<br />
Global Burden of Asthma Report, indicates that asthma control often<br />
falls short and there are many barriers to asthma control around the<br />
world. Proper long-term management of asthma will permit most patients<br />
to achieve good control of their disease. Yet in many regions around<br />
the world, this goal is often not met. Poor asthma control is also seen<br />
in the lifestyle limitations experienced by some people with asthma.<br />
For example, in some regions, up to one in four children with asthma is<br />
unable to attend school regularly because of poor asthma control.<br />
Asthma deaths are the ultimate, tragic evidence of uncontrolled asthma.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">According
to the Global Burden of Asthma Report, the majority of asthma deaths in<br />
some regions of the world are preventable. Effective asthma treatments<br />
exist and, with proper diagnosis, education, and treatment, the great<br />
majority of asthma patients can achieve and maintain good control of<br />
their disease. When asthma is under control, patients can live full and<br />
active lives.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Pneumonia
claims<br />
<br />
two million children under five each year, yet no new drug,<br />
vaccine or special diagnostic test is needed to save their lives. The<br />
answers are at hand, and effective treatment is both inexpensive and<br />
widely available.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Host
<br />
of other conditions that affect the lungs, are preventable, and often<br />
treatable.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">Let
us hope that 2010 Year of The Lung initiative of FIRS succeeds in<br />
putting the spotlight on the long neglected part of human body which<br />
New York Times missed, the lungs.</span> <br/><br/>Bobby Ramakant, CNS<br/>-------------<br/><br/>To
<br />
download or read the <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/01/2010-is-year-of-lungs.html"><b>English</b></a> <br />
version, go to:<br />
<a href="http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/01/2010-is-year-of-lungs.html">http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/01/2010-is-year-of-lungs.html</a><br/><br/>To
download or read the <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://hindi-cns.blogspot.com/2009/12/blog-post_24.html"><b>Hindi</b></a> <br />
version, go to: http://hindi-cns.blogspot.com/2009/12/blog-post_24.html<br/><br/><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);">7th of April is World Health
Day, to read <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/04/world-health-day.html"><b>Urbanization<br />
<br />
and Health in spotlight on World Health Day</b></a> , click <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/04/world-health-day.html">here</a> <br />
or go to:</span> <a href="http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/04/world-health-day.html">http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/04/world-health-day.html</a><br/><br/><br/><br/>
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<tt><br />
The year 2010, is the year of the Lungs. For more information, go to: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/01/2010-is-year-of-lungs.html">http://www.citizen-news.org/2010/01/2010-is-year-of-lungs.html</a><br />
</tt>