World Tuberculosis Day 2025

Date: 24/03/2025

Event Venue/Time: Govt. Senior Secondary School, Padhiana, Hoshiarpur

Organizing Unit/Agency: Department of Life Sciences & Allied Health Sciences (Under the aegis of IQAC)

Number of students participated in such activities:18+2

World Tuberculosis Day 2025

Tuberculosis is one of the deadliest infectious diseases affecting millions worldwide. Despite significant progress in its diagnosis and treatment, according to the WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Report 2024, an estimated 10 million people globally developed TB in 2023, and nearly 1.6 million died from the disease. TB is a leading cause of death among people living with HIV, and drug-resistant forms of TB (especially multidrug-resistant TB or MDR-TB) pose an additional threat to global health. The WHO has set a goal to reduce TB deaths by 90% and the incidence of TB by 80% by 2030, which aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being). Achieving this goal requires an all-inclusive, coordinated approach involving strong health systems, public-private partnerships, and community engagement. To contribute towards the tuberculosis elimination campaign, the Department of Life Sciences and Allied Health Sciences conducted an awareness drive to educate the students of Government High Secondary School, village Padhiana, Dist. Jalandhar, on 24th March 2025. Under the aegis of IQAC, the drive was headed by two faculty members; Dr. Rohit Malhotra and Ms. Satvir kaur, of Life Sciences and Allied Health Sciences department on 24th March, 2025. This day is universally celebrated each year as World Tuberculosis Day, which serves as a reminder of the urgent need to accelerate the global response to end TB epidemic. The current year’s theme underscores the urgent need for increased investment in TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care and calls for governments, organizations, and individuals to commit to accelerating efforts to end TB and ensure equitable access to care for all people, especially the most vulnerable populations. The students of the government senior secondary school Padhiana were educated about tuberculosis epidemic, spread, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and available treatment options at government centers and hospitals. The information about tuberculosis was disseminated through charts, posters, and direct communication with students and school staff. The main cause of its spread is a delay in diagnosis and subsequent treatment because it mimics the symptoms of other diseases. Additionally, due to social stigma, people do not prefer a tuberculosis diagnosis. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted TB services, including diagnosis, treatment, and prevention programs. Lockdowns, fear of infection, and overwhelmed healthcare systems have led to a decline in TB case detection, further exacerbating the TB crisis. The students were made aware and motivated to work as messengers to spread the awareness around them in their houses and localities to make public aware towards the prevention and TB control. The school teachers also supported throughout the awareness session and provided full cooperation in organizing such awareness activities in the future also. Overall, the campaign was a successful initiative in taking a step towards raising awareness about tuberculosis and ending the TB epidemic.