Santa Barbara County Spreads the Word about TB World TB Day: Stop TB—In My Lifetime
The focus of this campaign is to promote partnerships calling for zero TB deaths. TB can be cured with medication, but untreated it can kill. On March 19, 2013, this day will be acknowledged at the Board of Supervisor’s meeting with Supervisor Lavagnino presenting the award.
World TB day commemorates the date in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of the bacteria that causes tuberculosis. This year, we are entering our second year of the two- year “Stop TB in my Lifetime” campaign.
Despite the gradual decline in tuberculosis cases in the United States, public and private medical communities must remain vigilant about early identification and treatment of TB and support local Public Health TB control efforts. In 2012, Santa Barbara County encountered 24 cases of active TB, an increase of 14% (3 cases) compared to 2011.
• Each year 9-million people become ill with TB, 1.5 million people die world-wide, and one-third of the world’s population is infected with TB
• Since 1995, world-wide, 46 million people have been successfully treated and up to 6.8 million lives saved through Direct Observation Therapy
• In 2012, there were 2189 active TB cases reported in California representing a case rate of 5.8 compared to Santa Barbara County’s case rate of 5.6
• In 2012, the Public Heath Department Disease Control staff identified 111 at-risk individuals with close contact to active tuberculosis cases in effort of breaking the chain of TB transmission
• The Santa Barbara County Disease Control continues working collaboratively with community partners to identify and treat high-risk contacts and active tuberculosis cases.
Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is committed to global efforts that aim for zero deaths and freedom of tuberculosis in our community and worldwide.
