Tuberculosis – Stigma

Transcript

Perhaps the biggest challenge for people with TB is the stigma that’s associated with it. TB is well-known to have been a problem in history and only in the 1950s did we get successful treatment. And so many people still have the idea that it might be a death sentence. That is far from the case. It is really important for people who have TB to know that is a bacterial infection and not due to any fault of their own. And that by taking treatment, they can be cured and return to healthy living. In addition, being open about TB may help people who have to enjoy the long course of therapy to be more supported in their community, and also to help those who may be afraid to come forward and get treated to be more comfortable doing so. In the end, we’re all in this together. And it’s very important that since TB is spread from person to person, that we take responsibility for helping those who have it get better so that we hopefully one day can live in a world where we have no more TB.