Anti-TB week from February 17 to 23

BANGALORE: Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has called upon private medical practitioners to supplement the efforts of the State government and non-government organisations (NGOs) in eradicating tuberculosis (TB). “Given the dimension of the problem of TB, it is not enough if government alone or NGOs work on this problem. I appeal to the private medical practitioners to make some time every week to tackle this disease,” the chief minister said at a function where the launch of anti-TB week was announced here on Tuesday. Karnataka State Tuberculosis Eradication Association in league with many NGOs has launched Anti-TB week from February 17 to 23 during which seminars, workshops and skits would be organised to create awareness about TB “Fighting TB is the responsibility of every citizen. As of now, the government is giving free treatment to the tune of `2 lakh to each TB patient. But since the fight against TB needs to encompass rural as well as all strata of society, it is essential for private medical practitioners to get themselves involved in the Anti-TB movement,” the chief minister added.