Rajbiraj, Mar. 10: Deputy Speaker Mrs Chitralekha Yadav has said that contribution could be made to controlling tuberculosis if an effective programme is launched to generate tuberculosis awareness among the rural people.

Inaugurating the 20th general meeting of the Anti-tuberculosis Association of Nepal here today, Mrs Yadav lauded the positive works carried out by the Anti-tuberculosis Association of Nepal set up with the benevolent objective of humanitarian welfare and service.

Mrs Yadav stressed the need for the association to further play a more active role in generating tuberculosis awareness among the rural people.

Expressing the view that  a person could become great through humanitarian feelings rather than holding a post, the Deupty Speaker said the social and political sectors should be sensitive about and commit themselves in national and people welfare works in order to control deadly diseases like tuberculosis in the country.

Speaking from the chair president of the Anti-tuberculosis Association of Nepal Devendra Bahadur Pradhan said that the government should provide grants to social institutions only by evaluating its works.

Mr Pradhan said the association is always ready to join hands with the government to control tuberculosis in the country.

Vice-president of the association and director of the National Tuberculosis Center Dr. Dirgha Singh Bam said that the association had been playing an important role in generating tuberculosis awareness among the people. The Dots programme has been playing a significant role in treatment of tuberculosis patients in Nepal as well as other countries, he added.

On the occasion, Deputy Speaker Mrs Yadav gave away life-membership of the association to 20 persons of the Saptari unit of the Anti-tuberculosis Association of Nepal.

Likewise, central president of the association Pradhan gave away cash prizes to the winners of the inter-school essay contest on tuberculosis and aids organised recently.

Chief District Officer Balkrishna Prasai, central vice-president of the association Indra Prasad Shrestha, general secretary Madan Kaji Shrestha, Deputy General Secretary Shanker Prasad Sharma and Bijayananda Jha also expressed their views.

The two-day general meeting is being attended by 148 representatives from 24 district units of the Antituberculosis Association of Nepal.