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Stop TB-Fight poverty : An Indian Perspective
Introduction:
Stop TB, fight poverty is the theme for World TB day 2002. TB imposes a considerable economic toll on patients and their families. Because more than three-quarters of people with active TB are in the economically active age group (15 to 54), the economic and social costs to them and society are huge. They are income providers of the family. They are the parents of young children who need their economic and emotional support in order to thrive. They have elderly parents and relatives who depend on them. They are the citizens whose productivity and talents are essential to their countries’ development. The result of TB is that access to opportunities and choices- a key principle of human development –is blocked.
Ill health, malnutrition and high fertility are three main reasons why households become or remain poor. They cause poverty through diminishing productivity, reducing household income and increasing health expenditure. A more complete view of poverty includes deprivation not only from money income, but also human development, financial and physical security, expanding opportunities and especially participation in key aspects of social life.
Poor families have no buffer against loss of income-no savings and very limited access to borrowing. The way they cope with this economic adversity may provide short-term benefits –that is cash-but in long term makes them and their children destitute. The sale of assets such as land is a common response to large medical expenses.
Income poverty leads to ill health and ill health contributes to income poverty.
Poverty is also seen as a lack of basic human development indicated by poor health, malnutrition and educational development. Gender is in particular an important variable affecting both health and poverty.
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