Ngoma — Rwandans yesterday exchanged ideas on how to control the spread of Tuberculosis (TB) in their communities.The 2012 World TB Day campaign theme calls for people all over the world to make individual initiatives to stop TB in their lifetimes.The Day was celebrated in Kibungo sector, because it harbours a special designed clinic, for patients with Multi-drugs Tuberculosis Resistant.Dr. Pierre Claver Kayumba, the Director General of Rwanda Bio-medical Centre (RBC), said the Day is observed in order to spread awareness about the global effects of tuberculosis and efforts to eliminate the disease.He added that activities integrating TB and HIV were bearing positive results, adding that HIV and TB associate themselves with each other. Millions of people across the world die from the epidemic of tuberculosis (TB) every year.Dr. William Namanya, the Director of Kibungo hospital said that health was a major concern for the government, noting that it was only through the well-being of citizens that the economy of the country can progress.“All health centres in the country are involved in activities related to combating diseases like Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Epidemics, Tuberculosis, child diseases and so much more.”Odette Uwamariya, the Governor of Eastern Province, lamented that some traditional practices continue to put the population at the risk of catching TB.“19.2 per cent of patients in our Province are diagnosed with TB…Ngoma district alone has 207 TB patients. The numbers are exacerbated by practices of sharing drinks in one container, particularly while drinking traditional beer,” she said.World Tuberculosis Day is observed on March 24 each year, marks the day in 1882 when Robert Koch discovered the bacteria that causes tuberculosis.
