2008-03-23
Despite socioeconomic developments and public health efforts made over the years, tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the top infectious diseases in the world.
The remark was made by the Acting Director of Health, Dr Gloria Tam, at the ceremony marking the annual World TB Day today (March 23).
Stressing that it would certainly be incorrect to think that the disease was something of the past and had no local relevance, Dr Tam said an annual of some 6 000 new TB cases were reported and an average of 270 lives were claimed by the disease in recent years.
Dr Tam added that nearly nine million new cases and more than 1.5 million deaths were reported worldwide each year.
She said that the need to set March 24 of each year to be the World TB Day was to arouse public awareness that TB remains an epidemic in much of the world today.
"While there may be growing interests in other infectious and chronic diseases for whatever reasons, I urge that people should not loose sight of TB," she said.
Noting that the World Health Organization had selected "I am stopping TB" as the slogan for World TB Day this year, Dr Tam said the slogan marked the start of a two-year campaign appealing for a concerted effort of people around the world to stop TB.
"The fact is that everyone can do something to stop TB, and every individual action counts," she said.
"Share stories, make a donation, be aware of the symptoms of TB and to consult advice from health care workers are some things people can do," Dr Tam added.
She thanked the Hong Kong Tuberculosis, Chest and Heart Diseases Association for its 60 years of magnificent anti-TB service.
Today's ceremony was organized jointly by Hong Kong Tuberculosis, Chest and Heart Diseases Association, the Department of Health (DH) and the Hospital Authority.
A series of promotional activities, exhibitions, dramas and educational activities are planned to communicate the anti-TB message.
More information on the disease is available from DH’s Tuberculosis and Chest service hotline at 2572 6024.
Members of the public can also visit the website jointly developed by DH and HA at http://www.info.gov.hk/tb chest and the WHO website at http://www.who.int/gth.
Ends/Sunday, March 23, 2008