Tuberculosis is a killer disease

What is TB?

Tuberculosis is an infectious bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a germ that commonly affects the lungs. This germ that causes the TB disease (TB Bacillus) was discovered by Dr. Robert Koch in 1882. It is transmitted from one person to another through the air as droplets from the throat and lungs of people with TB. If not treated, each person with active TB infects on average 10 to 15 people every year.

When do we suspect TB in a person?

We suspect TB in anybody, who presents with cough for two weeks or more, with or without blood or cough for two or more associated with other symptoms such as chest pain, weight loss, evening fevers and night sweats, patients with lymph node swellings in the neck, axilla and other areas not associated with any trauma.

Before HIV era, 1 in 10 TB infected persons would become sick with TB disease in their lifetime. However today because of HIV, once infected with TB an HIV positive patient has the chance of developing TB disease increased five to ten times per year and up to 20 to 50 times in lifetime.

How has TB affected the world of today and where is it?

TB disease is a global pandemic ravaging the mainly poor countries and Uganda is not spared. TB is a disease of the poverty ( it affects the poor and also leads to poverty) affects mostly young adults in their most productive years. The vast majority of TB deaths are in the developing parts of the world mainly in Asia and Africa. Today TB remains the leading cause of illness and death worldwide. TB disease is the single greatest killer of people living with HIV.

Let’s Create a Tobacco Smoke Free Environment

Why we should promote a smoke free environment

Every Ugandan needs a tobacco smoke-free environment because second hand tobacco smoke kills and causes serious illness.

100 percent smoke free environments are conducive, promote the workers health and prevent serious harmful effects of tobacco smoke.

Everyone has a right to clean air, free from tobacco smoke. Smoke free environments are conducive for business, as families with children and most non smokers often prefer to go to smoke free places.

Smoke free environments provide the many smokers who want to quit with a strong incentive to cut down or stop smoking altogether.

Smoke free environments help prevent people especially the young from starting to smoke.

Useful tips on how to create a tobacco smoke free environment.

• Reduce on the number of cigarettes you smoke per day gradually.
• Stop buying any more cigarettes
• Aviod enticing environment like bars and frantic sports that could lead to smoking
• Reject smoking offers
• Keep busy with constructive work
• Exercise your body
• Use chewing gum when you feel the urge to smoke
• Emphasise personal hygiene, clean your teeth and wear clean clothes ( with out cigarette holes on your clothes.)

Health Dangers of smoking Tobacco

·         Smoking tobacco is a major threat to our health today. Over 5 Million people die every year due to tobacco smoking. Approximately one person is killed by tobacco every 6.5 seconds. This loss of lives which is entirely preventable costs an individual, family, nation and the world at large far much more than anyone can imagine.

·         Mothers who smoke have a higher risk of miscarriage. They usually bear underweight babies which contribute to poor growth of their children.

·         Smoking causes lung cancer, skin cancer, uterine cancer, heart diseases and chest problems like bronchitis, asthma, importance in men, stomach ulcers, skin wrinkling, hearing loss and hair loss.

·         Non smokers, who inhale smoke from those who smoke near them, suffer similar risks as smokers. Usually, children born to parents who smoke have a higher rate of respiratory illness such as pneumonia, colds and bronchitis and or sudden infant death syndrome.

·         Smoking not only destroys our health, but is a major cause of environmental, industry and house hold fire damage.

Economical consequences of tobacco use

• Tobacco as a crop is responsible for damage to forests, soil depletion and pollution from pestcides, fertilizers and cutting tree to dry tobacco.
• Tobacco tends to be consumed by the poor, in turn it contributes to poverty through loss of productivity, diseases and death. Money spent on tobacco deprives families from purchasing the basic necesities such as food, shelter, eduaction and health care.
• Poor health of the smoking bread winner may mean less income for the family with increased medical expenses worsening the family's economic situation.
• Tobacco farmers often find themselves in a debt trap to tobacco companies caught between low crop prices, discrinatory grading systems and escalating farm input costs; they always work at a loss.
• Tobacco cultivation and curing process exposes the farmer to health hazards and thus increasing the poverty.
• At the national level, the country suffers huge economical loses as a result of high health care costs as well as lost productivity due to tobacco related illness and pre mature death od its citzens.