By IANS,
New Delhi : As part of World Tuberculosis Week March 27-April 2, PVR cinemas in Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai and Hyderabad are showcasing a 30-second video clip featuring actor Vivek Oberoi speaking on prevention and treatment of TB.
Initiated by the Population Services International (PSI) and supported by United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the video clip features Oberoi as a postman, spreading awareness on TB and Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) for its control.
Atul Kapoor of PSI said: “TB is the leading opportunistic infection among People Living with HIV (PLHIV), often the first indicator of AIDS. It is, therefore, very important that people be sensitised about the symptoms of TB and counselled to take timely and appropriate treatment”.
“We really appreciate that PVR cinemas has come forward to provide a platform to spread awareness on TB,” he added.
Besides PVR cinemas, the video clip is also being showcased in all 23 screens of DLF cinemas.
As per the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) report, 2009, every year 9.1 million people develop active TB worldwide. Of these, the burden of active TB in India is about 20 percent or roughly 1.9 million.
“India is the number one country in terms of TB burden across the globe. Every day 5,000 people develop active TB and 1,000 people die from TB in India, that is two persons die every three minutes,” the report further says.