Kathmandu, Feb. 23: tb.net 2000, a three-day conference on “Power, Poverty and TB” began here today with an aim to raise awareness about tuberculosis control and to empower individuals and organisations with skills, motivation and knowledge to equip them in their efforts to control the disease.

The participants of the conference highlighted the relationship between inequitable power structures, poverty and tuberculosis and discussed on the locally appropriate means of addressing the issues through a series of presentations and workshops.

“Poverty and TB coexist in a vicious circle. Poor individuals, poor communities and poor countries have the highest rates of TB that impoverishes those with the disease,” they said at the programme participated in by 120 representatives from 18 different countries, with more than 50 participating by email, across the globe.

Dr. Dirgha Singh Bam, Director of the National Tuberculosis Centre, said that TB, a communicable disease, was a major health problem in the world, especially in the developing countries. “There are about 80 thousand TB patients in Nepal. Eight to 11 thousand of them die every year,” he said at the inauguration session of the conference organised by tb.net.

Dr. Bam said that DOTS (direct observation treatment system) was that most effective tool for controlling the infectious disease.

Tb.net, the global TB network based in Nepal, was established three years ago to stimulate communication and action through a global network of people working for a TB free world. This is the fourth in series of annual tb.net conference, which cover a theme at the cutting edge of TB control, according to the organiser.