World Tuberculosis Day - 24 March

World Tuberculosis Day: 24 March

 24 March World TB Day

Observed by All UN Member States

Date    March 24

Next time :  2014, 24 March

Frequency :   Annual

World Tuberculosis Day, falling on March 24 each year, is designed to build public awareness about the global epidemic of tuberculosis & efforts to eliminate the disease.

Now, tuberculosis causes the deaths of nearly  17 lac people each year, mostly in the Third World.

March 24 commemorates the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch astounded the scientific community by announcing to a small group of scientists at the University of Berlin's Institute of Hygiene that he had discovered the cause of tuberculosis, the TB bacillus.

According to Koch’s colleague, Mr. Paul Ehrlich, “At this memorable session, Koch appeared before the public with an announcement which marked a turning-point in the story of a virulent human infectious disease.

In clear, simple words Koch explained the aetiology of tuberculosis with convincing force, presenting many of his microscope slides and other pieces of evidence.”

At the time of Koch's announcement in Berlin, TB was raging through Europe and the Americas, causing the death of one out of every seven people. Koch's discovery opened the way toward diagnosing &  curing tuberculosis

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