MCD hospital joins hands with Rotary to spread TB awareness

New Delhi, Jan 27 (PTI) A prominent tuberculosis hospitalof the MCD today joined hands with Rotary International andNGO TB Alert India to spread awareness about the disease inuncovered and less-covered habitats of Delhi.

As part of a public-private partnership with Rajan BabuInstitute for Pulmonary Medicine and Tuberculosis (RBIMT),Rotary is donating a mobile van to TB Alert, which is adevelopment partner of Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

The mobile van will be used for creating awareness aboutprevention, treatment and cure of tuberculosis, especially inneighbouring areas of Burari and other semi-urban localities.

A series of short films will also be screened forspreading awareness about tuberculosis, officials said.

V K Monga, Chairman MCD Medical Relief and Public HealthCommittee, said in India, about four lakh deaths occur due toTB in a year. "TB is preventable and curable provided properinformation, education and communication is given. That''s whatthis van is going to facilitate," he said.

Dr J N Banavaliker, Medical Superintendent, RBIMT, saidthe Institute is the biggest tuberculosis and chest diseaseshospital in Asia with a capacity of 1,155 beds.