The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared tuberculosis (TB) a global emergency in 1993. TB is one of the world's top three killer diseases, alongside malaria and HIV, and will kill more people this year than in any previous year. There are more people in the world with TB than there were in 1950. TB can affect anyone but certain factors make the disease far more dangerous, such as overcrowding, malnutrition and HIV.
People living in developing countries are most at risk but cases here in the UK are on the rise too.
In the UK, most children of secondary school age are routinely given the BCG vaccination which reduces the risk of contracting the disease.
But three out of four people who get TB around the world are children or young adults.
World TB Day is taking place on 24 March 2005 and aims to raise awareness of the disease. To find out more, visit the TB Alert web site at www.tbalert.org or phone 0845 456 0995.
- Extracted from youthinformation.com, The NYA's online information toolkit for young people.
