Journal articles on the topic 'AIDS (Disease) – Economic aspects – Uganda'

Background: One of the major health concerns in Nakaseke district, Uganda is the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), as of March 2014, the prevalence rate of the disease in the district was estimated at about 8%, compared to the national average of 6.5%, making Nakaseke district have the sixth-highest prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in the entire country. We set out to explore the knowledge and attitude of secondary school students in Nakaseke, Uganda on HIV transmission and treatment. Methods: This was a cross sectional survey-based study with data collected during the month of February 2020. Data were analyzed using R programming language version 3.6.2. Results: A total of 163 participants volunteered for the study, 53.37% males and 46.63% females with ages ranging from 12 – 20 years. Participants came from 5 senior classes (S1, S2, S3, S4 and S6). In total, 87.73% participants were aware of HIV/AIDS while 12.27% were not. The major source of information was through teachers/schools. 96.50% knew the mode of transmission of HIV/AIDS and 95.11% were conversant with HIV/AIDS prevention. 63.6% were aware of the terms DNA and genes whereas 36.36% were not. Discussion: Generally, the students in Nakaseke district, Uganda had a high level of awareness of HIV/AIDS. However, with regards to aspects such as the cause and modern prevention methods like taking prep and prevention of mother to child transmission were less known to them. Efforts to find a cure for HIV/AIDS are still in vain. Therefore, strong emphasis on up to date control and prevention methods should be implemented to fight the HIV/AIDS scourge.

Background: One of the major health concerns in Nakaseke district, Uganda is the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), as of March 2014, the prevalence rate of the disease in the district was estimated at about 8%, compared to the national average of 6.5%, making Nakaseke district have the sixth-highest prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in the entire country. We set out to explore the knowledge and attitude of secondary school students in Nakaseke, Uganda on HIV transmission and treatment. Methods: This was a cross sectional survey-based study with data collected during the month of February 2020. Data were analyzed using R programming language version 3.6.2. Results: A total of 163 participants volunteered for the study, 53.37% males and 46.63% females with ages ranging from 12 – 20 years. Participants came from 5 senior classes (S1, S2, S3, S4 and S6). In total, 87.73% participants were aware of HIV/AIDS while 12.27% were not. The major source of information was through teachers/schools. 96.50% knew the mode of transmission of HIV/AIDS and 95.11% were conversant with HIV/AIDS prevention. 63.6% were aware of the terms DNA and genes whereas 36.36% were not. Discussion: Generally, the students in Nakaseke district, Uganda had a high level of awareness of HIV/AIDS based on Bloom’s cut-off point. However, with regards to aspects such as the cause and modern prevention methods like taking prep and prevention of mother to child transmission were less known to them. Efforts to find a cure for HIV/AIDS are still in vain. Therefore, strong emphasis on up to date control and prevention methods should be implemented to fight the HIV/AIDS scourge.

SummaryThough HIV/AIDS poses serious risks to economic security, there is very little economics literature quantifying awareness and knowledge of this disease and their principal socioeconomic determinants. This is what the present study attempts to do in the context of India, which faces a significant threat from HIV/AIDS. The study is based on India's National Family Health Surveys covering the period of economic reforms and beyond. The contribution is both methodological and empirical. The study shows that the recent multi-dimensional deprivation approach to poverty can also be used to measure and analyse awareness and lack of knowledge of HIV/AIDS. The use of decomposable multi-dimensional measures helps in identifying regions, socioeconomic groups and aspects of HIV knowledge that should be targeted in policy interventions. The study identifies the importance of safe sex practices as an area that needs to be targeted in future information campaigns. The study also explores the impact of increased female autonomy in health and economic decision-making on their and their partners' knowledge of the disease, along with a host of other economic and demographic determinants.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological aspects of HIV infection and AIDS among indigenous peoples of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. METHODS: This is a descriptive epidemiological study on the occurrence and distribution of HIV infection and AIDS in the indigenous population assisted by the Distrito Sanitário Especial Indígena (Indigenous Special Health District) Mato Grosso do Sul between 2001 and 2014, based on three secondary databases. Annual rates of HIV and AIDS detection and prevalence were calculated, considering case distribution according to village, Health Base Pole and sociodemographic variables. Accumulated rates of detection, mortality and case fatality were calculated by ethnic group and for the Health Base Pole with the highest number of cases. RESULTS: The HIV detection rate fluctuated between 0.0 and 18.0/100 thousand people in the study period. For AIDS, there was no notification before 2007, but in 2012 its rate reached 16.6/100 thousand. HIV prevalence grew between 2001 and 2011, and it continuously grew for AIDS starting from 2007. The highest HIV detection rates occurred among Guarani peoples (167.1/100 thousand) and for AIDS, among the Kaiowá peoples (79.3/100 thousand); mortality and fatality rates were higher among the Kaiowá. Regarding the Dourados Health Base Pole, the AIDS detection rate increased, and the mortality and fatality rates decreased. CONCLUSIONS: HIV infection and AIDS have been increasing among indigenous peoples, with distribution of the disease mainly in the Health Base Poles of the southern region of the state, where greater economic and social vulnerability are also observed. The endemic character of HIV and AIDS can become epidemic in some years given the existence of cases in other villages in the state. Its occurrence among the Guarani and Kaiowá populations indicates the need for expanded diagnosis, access to treatment and prevention measures.

Background: Malnutrition is an important clinical outcome amongst HIV patients in developing countries and in Uganda, there is scarcity of information on its prevalence and risk factors amongst HIV adult patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study amongst 253 HIV patients in Bushenyi district assessed their nutritional status using the body mass index (BMI) and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), and a questionnaire was used to identify major risk factors. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 38.74 ± 0.80 yrs, while females and males were 52.2% and 47.8% respectively. Prevalence of malnutrition was 10.28% (95% CI: 6.82 – 14.69) in the study. Major socio-economic factors associated with malnutrition were being female, unemployed, dependent and with many family members. Patients with op- portunistic infections, low adherence to HAART, and stage of HIV/AIDS had a higher risk of malnutrition. Discussion: In rural communities, a majority of malnourished patients are elderly and these were identified as priority groups for HIV outreach campaigns. The current policy of prioritizing children and women is outdated due to changing disease dynamics, thus showing a need to revise extension service provision in rural communities. Conclusion: Malnutrition is a threat in HIV adult patients in rural communities of Uganda. Keywords: Malnutrition; HIV adult patients; Bushenyi district; Uganda.

There is a nationwide resurgence of tuberculosis (TB) in the country’s urban centers; New York City stands at the forefront of this resurgence. The root causes are increased homelessness, drug addiction and poverty, all symbols of deteriorating social and economic conditions in the city. The inadequate level of public health resources devoted to TB has also contributed to its spread. Still, even with these factors, it is questionable whether the escalating number of TB cases in this country would have occurred without the reservoir of immunosuppressed persons, who are less resistant to the disease, created by the AIDS epidemic. The fear and urgency of this public health crisis, which has been emerging since the beginning of the last decade, are fueled by the rise of TB strains resistant to the first-line drugs and by the disease’s contagiousness.

Introduction. Depression is the fourth leading cause of the global disease burden and worsens the outcome of comorbidities including HIV/AIDS. Depression is particularly problematic among persons living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa where scarcity of cost-effective interventions is compounded by inadequate understanding of the disease. We examine risk factors for depression among persons living with HIV undergoing antiretroviral treatment in Uganda and discuss policy implications. Methods. A qualitative study using a narrative approach was conducted, the formative phase of a large study to develop a model for integrating depression management into routine HIV care in Uganda. Participants were purposively sampled at four public health facilities in Mpigi District. In-depth interviews were conducted with four clinicians, three supervisors, and 11 persons living with HIV and suffering from depression, as were three focus group discussions with lay health workers. Exit interviews were conducted with 17 persons living with HIV who completed/interrupted depression treatment but had not been interviewed. Only data collected from persons living with HIV and lay health workers were analysed for the purpose of this paper. A narrative thematic approach was used in data analysis. Findings. There were several pathways through which lack of family social support reportedly led to depression: worries about disclosure in discordant relationships, false perceptions of social support, stigmatisation and discrimination, and domestic violence. Economic/poverty and other causes were identified, but their role was less significant or moderated by family social support. Conclusion. Family social support plays a dominant role—both directly and indirectly—in influencing depression risk. We propose the mainstreaming of formal psychosocial support and a shift from individual to family-focused counselling that targets both persons living with HIV and their family.

In March 2003, the world discovered, again, that I humanity's battle with infectious diseases continues. The twenty-first century began with infectious diseases, especially HIV/AIDS, being discussed as threats to human rights, economic development, and national security. Bioterrorism in the United States in October 2001 increased concerns about pathogenic microbes. The global outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in the spring of 2003 kept the global infectious disease challenge at the forefront of world news for weeks. At its May 2003 annual meeting, the World Health organization (WHO) asserted that SARS is “the first severe infectious disease to emerge in the twenty-first century” and “poses a serious threat to global health security, the livelihood of populations, the functioning of health systems, and the stability and growth of economies.”

In the United States, health disparities have been framed by categories of race. Racial health disparities have been documented for cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and numerous other diseases and measures of health status. Although such disparities can be read as symptoms of disparities in healthcare access, pervasive social and economic inequities, and discrimination, some have suggested that the disparities might be due, at least in part, to biological differences based on race. Or, to be more precise, if race itself has no determined biological meaning, race may nonetheless be a proxy that collects a group of individuals who share certain physiological or genotypic features that affect health.

HIV/AIDS is a major threat to India. The number of people living with the disease is approaching 5 million. Global research shows that HIV/AIDS has direct links with health, social, psychological as well as economic problems by minimizing life expectancy, increasing burden on health care system, losing status in society and increasing inequality. India has the third largest HIV epidemic in the world, with 2.1 million people living with HIV. HIV/AIDS is a new phenomenon in the society. Misconceptions about HIV/AIDS abound worldwide. Female adolescents face even greater risk for STD transmission than their male peers and older adult women. Hence, the present study was undertaken to assess the gain in knowledge of adolescent girls after exposure to educational programme on selected four aspects of HIV/AIDS i.e. knowledge about adolescent years, information related to reproductive organs and physical changes, information related to HIV/AIDS, preventive measures for HIV/ AIDS (Individual and social responsibilities towards the person infected with HIV). The total sample for present study was consisted of 60 randomly selected adolescent girls belonging to nuclear families and low income group and studying in 10th, 11th, and 12th standards (15 to 18 years of age) of two randomly selected Government Senior secondary Girls Schools of Bikaner city, Rajasthan. The research design used for the present study was one group pre-test-post-test action research. The programme was planned on the basis of the results of pre test. Then, the results of post-test were obtained through the same duly pre-tested questionnaire cum interview schedule which was used during pre test. Frequency, percentage values and paired t-test was applied to see the significant difference between pre test and post-test scores of knowledge. The total sample had highest gain in knowledge (50.75%) in aspect 3 (Information related to HIV/AIDS). The subject had highly significant gain in knowledge at 1% and 5% level of significance. The adolescent girls of class 10th had the highest gain in knowledge i.e. 47.9 % among the group. The major findings revealed the positive and definite impact of educational programme in improving knowledge about HIV/AIDS and to avoid discriminatory treatment to AIDS patient in employment providing services and other benefits.

Social well-being is an intrinsic part of the current concept of health. In the context of chronic disease, there are many challenges we face in order to provide social well-being to patients and their families, even more if we talk about rare diseases. TransplantChild, a European Reference Network (ERN) in paediatric transplantation, works to improve the quality of life of transplanted children. It is not possible to improve the quality of life if the human and material resources are not available. With this study, we want to identify the economic aids, facilities, services, and financed products that are offered to families in different European centres. We also want to find out who provides these resources and the accessibility to them. We designed an ad hoc survey using the EU Survey software tool. The survey was sent to representatives of the 26 ERN members. In this article we present the results obtained in relation to two of the aspects analysed: long-term financial assistance and drugs, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Some resources are equally available in all participating centres but there are significant differences in others, such as education aids or parapharmacy product financing. A local analysis of these differences is necessary to find feasible solutions for equal opportunities for all transplanted children in Europe. The experience of centres that already provide certain solutions successfully may facilitate the implementation of these solutions in other hospitals.

Rising pressure from chronic diseases means that we need to learn how to deal with challenges at a different level, including the use of systems approaches that better connect across fragments, such as disciplines, stakeholders, institutions, and technologies. By learning from progress in leading areas of health innovation (including oncology and AIDS), as well as complementary indications (Alzheimer’s disease), I try to extract the most enabling innovation paradigms, and discuss their extension to additional areas of application within a systems approach. To facilitate such work, a Precision, P4 or Systems Medicine platform is proposed, which is centered on the representation of health states that enable the definition of time in the vision to provide the right intervention for the right patient at the right time and dose. Modeling of such health states should allow iterative optimization, as longitudinal human data accumulate. This platform is designed to facilitate the discovery of links between opportunities related to a) the modernization of diagnosis, including the increased use of omics profiling, b) patient-centric approaches enabled by technology convergence, including digital health and connected devices, c) increasing understanding of the pathobiological, clinical and health economic aspects of disease progression stages, d) design of new interventions, including therapies as well as preventive measures, including sequential intervention approaches. Probabilistic Markov models of health states, e.g. those used for health economic analysis, are discussed as a simple starting point for the platform. A path towards extension into other indications, data types and uses is discussed, with a focus on regenerative medicine and relevant pathobiology.

The HIV epidemic has dramatically changed over the past 30 years; there are now fewer newly infected people (especially children), fewer AIDS-related deaths, and more people with HIV (PWH) receiving treatment. However, the HIV epidemic is far from over. Despite the tremendous advances in anti-retroviral therapies (ART) and the implementation of ART regimens, HIV incidence (number of new infections over a defined period of time) and prevalence (the burden of HIV infection) in certain regions of the world and socio-economic groups are still on the rise. HIV continues to disproportionally affect highly marginalized populations that constitute higher-risk and stigmatized groups, underserved and/or neglected populations. In addition, it is not uncommon for PWH to suffer enhanced debilitating conditions resulting from the synergistic interactions of both communicable diseases (CDs) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). While research utilizing only a comorbidities framework has advanced our understanding of the biological settings of the co-occurring conditions from a molecular and mechanistic view, harmful interactions between comorbidities are often overlooked, particularly under adverse socio-economical and behavioral circumstances, likely prompting disease clustering in PWH. Synergistic epidemics (syndemics) research aims to capture these understudied interactions: the mainly non-biological aspects that are central to interpret disease clustering in the comorbidities/multi-morbidities only framework. Connecting population-level clustering of social and health problems through syndemic interventions has proved to be a critical knowledge gap that will need to be addressed in order to improve prevention and care strategies and bring us a step closer to ending the HIV epidemic.

The Thailand-Japan Research Collaboration Center on Emerging and Re-emerging Infections (RCC-ERI) was established in 2005 by the Research Institute for Microbial Diseases (RIMD), Osaka University, in collaboration with the National Institute of Health (NIH), Department of Medical Sciences (DMSc), Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), Thailand. This was initiated based on the recognition that, with today’s highly developed transportation networks including those between Japan and Thailand, infectious disease outbreak and transmission are no longer limited to a single country. Indeed, such diseases are likely to be transmitted immediately to a third country. This makes it essential to cooperate globally in exchanging information fast and often. A dozen Japanese researchers are working regularly at RCC-ERI, where they conduct joint research with Thai researchers on bacterial and viral infectious diseases prevailing in Thailand that could conceivably affect Japan. Examples of such diseases include cholera, meningitis with Streptococcus suis, AIDS, chikungunya fever, and dengue fever. Conducting long-term research in other countries often reveals gaps in perception due to differences in national laws and regulations, in rules and operating customs within research institutions, in economic and cultural backgrounds, and in values and ways of thinking among individual researchers. RCCERI is being operated as fine adjustments are made to achievemaximumproductivity and developing human resources. Some of the many researchers stationed at the Center faced unpredicted situations such as social chaos due to political instability or evacuation due to flooding and had to take emergency response measures. In this article, we cover aspects related to these experiences.

IntroductionThe research literature addressing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has increased considerably over the last decade. To better understand the research areas and explore research gaps, we will conduct a scoping review to map study topics and describe study characteristics and populations in publications focused on PrEP. The purpose of this protocol is to describe planned methods for the scoping review.Methods and analysisWe will implement a comprehensive systematic literature search to identify PrEP citations in the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention HIV/AIDS Prevention Research Synthesis Project database that is unique and extensively focuses on HIV/sexually transmitted infections/hepatitis. We will screen and include studies that are (1) focused on HIV PrEP, (2) primary research with human participants and (3) published in English. Two reviewers will independently abstract data on authors’ names, study years, countries, population characteristics and design. To describe and summarise study topics, we will use 19 codes and five categories that were developed from a preliminary study. The five categories arecategory 1: potential PrEP user/prescriber(behaviours/issues for potential PrEP takers/healthcare professionals),category 2: considerations while on PrEP(experiences of and problems related to staying on or prescribing PrEP),category 3: PrEP efficacy and safety(biomedical aspects and medication efficacy),category 4: methods of and experiences with PrEP clinical trials(possesses/experiences of clinical trials) andcategory 5: cost-effectiveness or economic evaluation(cost studies). Data will be analysed with descriptive statistics.Ethics and disseminationThe findings will be presented at HIV-related conferences and published in peer-review journals.

This paper aims to portray the overall picture of poverty in the world and mentions the key solution to overcome poverty from a critical perspective. The data and figures were quoted from a number of researchers and organizations in the field of poverty around the world. Simultaneously, the information strengthens the correlations among poverty and lack of education. Only appropriate philosophies of education can improve the country’s socio-economic conditions and contribute to effective solutions to worldwide poverty. In the 21st century, despite the rapid development of science and technology with a series of inventions brought into the world to make life more comfortable, human poverty remains a global problem, especially in developing countries. Poverty, according to Lister (2004), is reflected by the state of “low living standards and/or inability to participate fully in society because of lack of material resources” (p.7). The impact and serious consequences of poverty on multiple aspects of human life have been realized by different organizations and researchers from different contexts (Fraser, 2000; Lister, 2004; Lipman, 2004; Lister, 2008). This paper will indicate some of the concepts and research results on poverty. Figures and causes of poverty, and some solutions from education as a key breaker to poverty will also be discussed. Creating a universal definition of poverty is not simple (Nyasulu, 2010). There are conflicts among different groups of people defining poverty, based on different views and fields. Some writers, according to Nyasulu, tend to connect poverty with social problems, while others focus on political or other causes. However, the reality of poverty needs to be considered from different sides and ways; for that reason, the diversity of definitions assigned to poverty can help form the basis on which interventions are drawn (Ife and Tesoriero, 2006). For instance, in dealing with poverty issues, it is essential to intervene politically; economic intervention is very necessary to any definition of this matter. A political definition necessitates political interventions in dealing with poverty, and economic definitions inevitably lead to economic interventions. Similarly, Księżopolski (1999) uses several models to show the perspectives on poverty as marginal, motivation and socialist. These models look at poverty and solutions from different angles. Socialists, for example, emphasize the responsibilities of social organization. The state manages the micro levels and distributes the shares of national gross resources, at the same time fighting to maintain the narrow gap among classes. In his book, Księżopolski (1999) also emphasizes the changes and new values of charity funds or financial aid from churches or organizations recognized by the Poor Law. Speaking specifically, in the new stages poverty has been recognized differently, and support is also delivered in limited categories related to more specific and visible objectives, with the aim of helping the poor change their own status for sustainable improvement. Three ways of categorizing the poor and locating them in the appropriate places are (1) the powerless, (2) who is willing to work and (3) who is dodging work. Basically, poverty is determined not to belong to any specific cultures or politics; otherwise, it refers to the situation in which people’s earnings cannot support their minimum living standard (Rowntree, 1910). Human living standard is defined in Alfredsson & Eide’s work (1999) as follows: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.” (p. 524). In addition, poverty is measured by Global Hunger Index (GHI), which is calculated by the International Food Policy Institute (IFPRI) every year. The GHI measures hunger not only globally, but also by country and region. To have the figures multi-dimensionally, the GHI is based on three indicators: 1. Undernourishment: the proportion of the undernourished as a percentage of the population (reflecting the share of the population with insufficient calorie intake). 2. Child underweight: the proportion of children under age 5 who are underweight (low weight for their age, reflecting wasting, stunted growth or both), which is one indicator of child under-nutrition. 3. Child mortality: the mortality rate of children under 5 (partially reflecting the fatal synergy of inadequate dietary intake and unhealthy environments). Apart from the individual aspects and the above measurement based on nutrition, which help partly imagine poverty, poverty is more complicated, not just being closely related to human physical life but badly affecting spiritual life. According to Jones and Novak (1999 cited in Lister, 2008), poverty not only characterizes the precarious financial situation but also makes people self-deprecating. Poverty turns itself into the roots of shame, guilt, humiliation and resistance. It leads the poor to the end of the road, and they will never call for help except in the worst situations. Education can help people escape poverty or make it worse. In fact, inequality in education has stolen opportunity for fighting poverty from people in many places around the world, in both developed and developing countries (Lipman, 2004). Lipman confirms: “Students need an education that instills a sense of hope and possibility that they can make a difference in their own family, school, and community and in the broader national and global community while it prepare them for multiple life choices.” (p.181) Bradshaw (2005) synthesizes five main causes of poverty: (1) individual deficiencies, (2) cultural belief systems that support subcultures of poverty, (3) economic, political and social distortions or discrimination, (4) geographical disparities and (5) cumulative and cyclical interdependencies. The researcher suggests the most appropriate solution corresponding with each cause. This reflects the diverse causes of poverty; otherwise, poverty easily happens because of social and political issues. From the literature review, it can be said that poverty comes from complex causes and reasons, and is not a problem of any single individual or country. Poverty has brought about serious consequences and needs to be dealt with by many methods and collective effort of many countries and organizations. This paper will focus on representing some alarming figures on poverty, problems of poverty and then the education as a key breaker to poverty. According to a statistics in 2012 on poverty from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), nearly half the world's population lives below the poverty line, of which is less than $1.25 a day . In a statistics in 2015, of every 1,000 children, 93 do not live to age 5 , and about 448 million babies are stillborn each year . Poverty in the world is happening alarmingly. According to a World Bank study, the risk of poverty continues to increase on a global scale and, of the 2009 slowdown in economic growth, which led to higher prices for fuel and food, further pushed 53 million people into poverty in addition to almost 155 million in 2008. From 1990 to 2009, the average GHI in the world decreased by nearly one-fifth. Many countries had success in solving the problem of child nutrition; however, the mortality rate of children under 5 and the proportion of undernourished people are still high. From 2011 to 2013, the number of hungry people in the world was estimated at 842 million, down 17 percent compared with the period 1990 to 1992, according to a report released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) titled “The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2013” . Although poverty in some African countries had been improved in this stage, sub-Saharan Africa still maintained an area with high the highest percentage of hungry people in the world. The consequences and big problems resulting from poverty are terrible in the extreme. The following will illustrate the overall picture under the issues of health, unemployment, education and society and politics ➢ Health issues: According a report by Manos Unidas, a non- government organization (NGO) in Spain , poverty kills more than 30,000 children under age 5 worldwide every day, and 11 million children die each year because of poverty. Currently, 42 million people are living with HIV, 39 million of them in developing countries. The Manos Unidas report also shows that 15 million children globally have been orphaned because of AIDS. Scientists predict that by 2020 a number of African countries will have lost a quarter of their population to this disease. Simultaneously, chronic drought and lack of clean water have not only hindered economic development but also caused disastrous consequences of serious diseases across Africa. In fact, only 58 percent of Africans have access to clean water; as a result, the average life expectancy in Africa is the lowest in the world, just 45 years old (Bui, 2010). ➢ Unemployment issues: According to the United Nations, the youth unemployment rate in Africa is the highest in the world: 25.6 percent in the Middle East and North Africa. Unemployment with growth rates of 10 percent a year is one of the key issues causing poverty in African and negatively affecting programs and development plans. Total African debt amounts to $425 billion (Bui, 2010). In addition, joblessness caused by the global economic downturn pushed more than 140 million people in Asia into extreme poverty in 2009, the International Labor Organization (ILO) warned in a report titled The Fallout in Asia, prepared for the High-Level Regional Forum on Responding to the Economic Crisis in Asia and the Pacific, in Manila from Feb. 18 to 20, 2009 . Surprisingly, this situation also happens in developed countries. About 12.5 million people in the United Kingdom (accounting for 20 percent of the population) are living below the poverty line, and in 2005, 35 million people in the United States could not live without charity. At present, 620 million people in Asia are living on less than $1 per day; half of them are in India and China, two countries whose economies are considered to be growing. ➢ Education issues: Going to school is one of the basic needs of human beings, but poor people cannot achieve it. Globally, 130 million children do not attend school, 55 percent of them girls, and 82 million children have lost their childhoods by marrying too soon (Bui, 2010). Similarly, two-thirds of the 759 million illiterate people in total are women. Specifically, the illiteracy rate in Africa keeps increasing, accounting for about 40 percent of the African population at age 15 and over 50 percent of women at age 25. The number of illiterate people in the six countries with the highest number of illiterate people in the world - China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, Bangladesh and Egypt - reached 510 million, accounting for 70 percent of total global illiteracy. ➢ Social and political issues: Poverty leads to a number of social problems and instability in political systems of countries around the world. Actually, 246 million children are underage labors, including 72 million under age 10. Simultaneously, according to an estimate by the United Nations (UN), about 100 million children worldwide are living on the streets. For years, Africa has suffered a chronic refugee problem, with more than 7 million refugees currently and over 200 million people without homes because of a series of internal conflicts and civil wars. Poverty threatens stability and development; it also directly influences human development. Solving the problems caused by poverty takes a lot of time and resources, but afterward they can focus on developing their societies. Poverty has become a global issue with political significance of particular importance. It is a potential cause of political and social instability, even leading to violence and war not only within a country, but also in the whole world. Poverty and injustice together have raised fierce conflicts in international relations; if these conflicts are not satisfactorily resolved by peaceful means, war will inevitably break out. Obviously, poverty plus lack of understanding lead to disastrous consequences such as population growth, depletion of water resources, energy scarcity, pollution, food shortages and serious diseases (especially HIV/AIDS), which are not easy to control; simultaneously, poverty plus injustice will cause international crimes such as terrorism, drug and human trafficking, and money laundering. Among recognizable four issues above which reflected the serious consequences of poverty, the third ones, education, if being prioritized in intervention over other issues in the fighting against poverty is believed to bring more effectiveness in resolving the problems from the roots. In fact, human being with the possibility of being educated resulted from their distinctive linguistic ability makes them differential from other beings species on the earth (Barrow and Woods 2006, p.22). With education, human can be aware and more critical with their situations, they are aimed with abilities to deal with social problems as well as adversity for a better life; however, inequality in education has stolen opportunity for fighting poverty from unprivileged people (Lipman, 2004). An appropriate education can help increase chances for human to deal with all of the issues related to poverty; simultaneously it can narrow the unexpected side-effect of making poverty worse. A number of philosophies from ancient Greek to contemporary era focus on the aspect of education with their own epistemology, for example, idealism of Plato encouraged students to be truth seekers and pragmatism of Dewey enhanced the individual needs of students (Gutex, 1997). Education, more later on, especially critical pedagogy focuses on developing people independently and critically which is essential for poor people to have ability of being aware of what they are facing and then to have equivalent solutions for their problems. In other words, critical pedagogy helps people emancipate themselves and from that they can contribute to transform the situations or society they live in. In this sense, in his most influential work titled “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” (1972), Paulo Freire carried out his critical pedagogy by building up a community network of peasants- the marginalized and unprivileged party in his context, aiming at awakening their awareness about who they are and their roles in society at that time. To do so, he involved the peasants into a problem-posing education which was different from the traditional model of banking education with the technique of dialogue. Dialogue wasn’t just simply for people to learn about each other; but it was for figuring out the same voice; more importantly, for cooperation to build a social network for changing society. The peasants in such an educational community would be relieved from stressfulness and the feeling of being outsiders when all of them could discuss and exchange ideas with each other about the issues from their “praxis”. Praxis which was derived from what people act and linked to some values in their social lives, was defined by Freire as “reflection and action upon the world in order to transform it” (p.50). Critical pedagogy dialogical approach in Pedagogy of the Oppressed of Freire seems to be one of the helpful ways for solving poverty for its close connection to the nature of equality. It doesn’t require any highly intellectual teachers who lead the process; instead, everything happens naturally and the answers are identified by the emancipation of the learners themselves. It can be said that the effectiveness of this pedagogy for people to escape poverty comes from its direct impact on human critical consciousness; from that, learners would be fully aware of their current situations and self- figure out the appropriate solutions for their own. In addition, equality which was one of the essences making learners in critical pedagogy intellectually emancipate was reflected via the work titled “The Ignorant Schoolmaster” by Jacques Rancière (1991). In this work, the teacher and students seemed to be equal in terms of the knowledge. The explicator- teacher Joseph Jacotot employed the interrogative approach which was discovered to be universal because “he taught what he didn’t know”. Obviously, this teacher taught French to Flemish students while he couldn’t speak his students’ language. The ignorance which was not used in the literal sense but a metaphor showed that learners can absolutely realize their capacity for self-emancipation without the traditional teaching of transmission of knowledge from teachers. Regarding this, Rancière (1991, p.17) stated “that every common person might conceive his human dignity, take the measure of his intellectual capacity, and decide how to use it”. This education is so meaningful for poor people by being able to evoking their courageousness to develop themselves when they always try to stay away from the community due the fact that poverty is the roots of shame, guilt, humiliation and resistance (Novak, 1999). The contribution of critical pedagogy to solving poverty by changing the consciousness of people from their immanence is summarized by Freire’s argument in his “Pedagogy of Indignation” as follows: “It is certain that men and women can change the world for the better, can make it less unjust, but they can do so from starting point of concrete reality they “come upon” in their generation. They cannot do it on the basis of reveries, false dreams, or pure illusion”. (p.31) To sum up, education could be an extremely helpful way of solving poverty regarding the possibilities from the applications of studies in critical pedagogy for educational and social issues. Therefore, among the world issues, poverty could be possibly resolved in accordance with the indigenous people’s understanding of their praxis, their actions, cognitive transformation, and the solutions with emancipation in terms of the following keynotes: First, because the poor are powerless, they usually fall into the states of self-deprecation, shame, guilt and humiliation, as previously mentioned. In other words, they usually build a barrier between themselves and society, or they resist changing their status. Therefore, approaching them is not a simple matter; it requires much time and the contributions of psychologists and sociologists in learning about their aspirations, as well as evoking and nurturing the will and capacities of individuals, then providing people with chances to carry out their own potential for overcoming obstacles in life. Second, poverty happens easily in remote areas not endowed with favorable conditions for development. People there haven’t had a lot of access to modern civilization; nor do they earn a lot of money for a better life. Low literacy, together with the lack of healthy forms of entertainment and despair about life without exit, easily lead people into drug addiction, gambling and alcoholism. In other words, the vicious circle of poverty and powerlessness usually leads the poor to a dead end. Above all, they are lonely and need to be listened to, shared with and led to escape from their states. Community meetings for exchanging ideas, communicating and immediate intervening, along with appropriate forms of entertainment, should be held frequently to meet the expectations of the poor, direct them to appropriate jobs and, step by step, change their favorite habits of entertainment. Last but not least, poor people should be encouraged to participate in social forums where they can both raise their voices about their situations and make valuable suggestions for dealing with their poverty. Children from poor families should be completely exempted from school fees to encourage them to go to school, and curriculum should also focus on raising community awareness of poverty issues through extracurricular and volunteer activities, such as meeting and talking with the community, helping poor people with odd jobs, or simply spending time listening to them. Not a matter of any individual country, poverty has become a major problem, a threat to the survival, stability and development of the world and humanity. Globalization has become a bridge linking countries; for that reason, instability in any country can directly and deeply affect the stability of others. The international community has been joining hands to solve poverty; many anti-poverty organizations, including FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization), BecA (the Biosciences eastern and central Africa), UN-REDD (the United Nations Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation), BRAC (Building Resources Across Communities), UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), WHO (World Health Organization) and Manos Unidas, operate both regionally and internationally, making some achievements by reducing the number of hungry people, estimated 842 million in the period 1990 to 1992, by 17 percent in 2011- to 2013 . The diverse methods used to deal with poverty have invested billions of dollars in education, health and healing. The Millennium Development Goals set by UNDP put forward eight solutions for addressing issues related to poverty holistically: 1) Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. 2) Achieve universal primary education. 3) Promote gender equality and empower women. 4) Reduce child mortality. 5) Improve maternal health. 6) Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. 7) Ensure environmental sustainability. 8) Develop a global partnership for development. Although all of the mentioned solutions carried out directly by countries and organizations not only focus on the roots of poverty but break its circle, it is recognized that the solutions do not emphasize the role of the poor themselves which a critical pedagogy does. More than anyone, the poor should have a sense of their poverty so that they can become responsible for their own fate and actively fight poverty instead of waiting for help. It is not different from the cores of critical theory in solving educational and political issues that the poor should be aware and conscious about their situation and reflected context. It is required a critical transformation from their own praxis which would allow them to go through a process of learning, sharing, solving problems, and leading to social movements. This is similar to the method of giving poor people fish hooks rather than giving them fish. The government and people of any country understand better than anyone else clearly the strengths and characteristics of their homelands. It follows that they can efficiently contribute to causing poverty, preventing the return of poverty, and solving consequences of the poverty in their countries by many ways, especially a critical pedagogy; and indirectly narrow the scale of poverty in the world. In a word, the wars against poverty take time, money, energy and human resources, and they are absolutely not simple to end. Again, the poor and the challenged should be educated to be fully aware of their situation to that they can overcome poverty themselves. They need to be respected and receive sharing from the community. All forms of discrimination should be condemned and excluded from human society. When whole communities join hands in solving this universal problem, the endless circle of poverty can be addressed definitely someday. More importantly, every country should be responsible for finding appropriate ways to overcome poverty before receiving supports from other countries as well as the poor self-conscious responsibilities about themselves before receiving supports from the others, but the methods leading them to emancipation for their own transformation and later the social change.

Women comprise the fastest growing group of persons with AIDS. They are often diagnosed later in the disease, when antiretroviral therapy (ART) is strongly indicated. Antiretroviral therapy has transformed the course of HIV/AIDS to a treatable, chronic illness. This article provides a profile of women with HIV/AIDS and describes ART. Selected research related to adherence and motivation is summarized. Psychosocial and economic concerns specific to women, ART, adherence, and motivation are presented. The article reviews challenges for risk reduction behaviors for HIV + women, such as sexual activity and substance abuse. The authors discuss the Keeping Health and Active with Risk reduction and Medication Adherence (KHARMA) Project, a research project in progress that was designed to promote adherence to both ART and risk reduction behaviors in HIV+ women. The study includes two groups: a motivational group intervention based on motivational interviewing and a health promotion program control group tailored to the needs of HIV+ women. A description of the tailored intervention and project update is included.

This article presents acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS, in Portuguese, or AIDS), when it appeared in the 1980s from an interdisciplinary perspective: on the one hand, signs, symptoms, diagnostic methods and treatment are addressed and are part of the biomedical model that participates in the interpretation of this disease; on the other, the representations of the disease in journalistic articles published in the newspaper O Globo, one of the most important in Brazil. Health and Journalism help to build ideas and understand concepts, prejudices and stigmas that relapse dwell and still fall on the disease that became known as the gay plague, one of several denominations attributed to AIDS when it arose. It is discussed whether it is possible to understand the health-disease process from a plural perspective, which goes beyond the limits of medicine. For this, we analyze texts from the newspaper O Globo, which deal with the HIV/AIDS binomial, paying special attention to the language and lexicography used in the elaboration of them, and taking into account the medical view about the disease in the 1980s. The work allows us to conclude that it is possible and necessary to face the health-disease process using not only biological phenomena, but using social, economic, political and environmental aspects, in front of various disciplinary fields.

Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) as a complication is now considered a chronic disease and, although mortality and morbidity have been significantly reduced, the psychosocial impact of the disease generates painful consequences in the patient reflected in anxiety and depression. The concept of quality of life is global, multidisciplinary, and involves objective and subjective aspects. Health-related quality of life involves functioning and physical symptoms, psychological factors and social aspects. The interest of this review lies in the social impact of HIV, not only in relation to the economic and political repercussions for treatment and prevention, but also in the identification of variables related to the improvement of the quality of life of people with HIV. There is a great interest in the study of quality of life of patients with HIV / AIDS, and research has shown that there is a relationship between quality of life and psychological variables such as anxiety and depression, as well as biological parameters such as CD4 lymphocyte levels and the viral load that could perhaps be considered in health decisions and in interventions that promote protection and welfare factors. The implementation of interventions aimed at improving the quality of life of patients with HIV / AIDS throughout the evolutionary period of infection is very important.

Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has become one of the most serious challenges to public health due to its high morbidity, mortality and economic impacts. Good Knowledge, positive attitudes and practices are important aspects of providing nursing care for people living with HIV/AIDS. Aim: This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices of nurses working with HIV/AIDS patients. Methods: This study was descriptive, performed on 200 nurses working with HIV/AIDS patients at a tertiary care Hospital, Amroha. Data was collected using pretested, validated, self administered questionnaire consisting of knowledge, attitude and practice based questions related to HIV/Aids and infected patients along with demographic variables of nursing staff under study. Results: The result of this study showed that majority of nurses (81%) working with HIV/AIDS patients possess adequate level of knowledge. Most of the nurses under study showed high level of empathic attitude toward people living with HIV/AIDS (above 80%) but at the same time high level of avoidance was observed among some nurses. Practice of nurses working with HIV/AIDS patients was found good. Conclusions: There was satisfactory knowledge, positive attitudes and good practice level among nurses under study. Recommendations: Training should focus on Preventive methods and modes of HIV transmission, care and support of all patients no matter what the disease, emphasizing confidentiality as a patient right that should not be ignored and should train nurses and monitor nursing skills. Keywords: Public health, Nurses, HIV, Knowledge, Attitude, Practices

Longevity depends on various facets such as economic growth of the country, along with the health innovations of the region. Along with the prophecy of existence, we also figure out how sensitive a particular mainland is to few chronic diseases. These factors have a robust impact on the potential life span of the population. We study the biological and economical aspects of continents and their countries to predict the life expectancy of the population and to perceive the probability of the continent possessing long standing diseases like measles, HIV/AIDS, etc. Our research is conducted on the theory that exhibits the dependency or correlation of life expectancy with the various factors which includes the health factors as well as the economic factors. Two Machine learning algorithms simple linear regression, multiple linear regression are used for predicting the expectancy of life over different continents, whereas, decision tree algorithm, random forest algorithm, and were applied to classify the likelihood of occurrence of the disease. On comparing and contrasting various algorithms, we can infer that, multiple linear regression produces the most accurate results as to what the average life expectancy of the population would be given the current features of the continent like the adult mortality rate, alcohol consumption rate, infant deaths, the GDP of the country, average percentage expenditure of the population on health care and treatments, schooling rate, and other such features. On the other hand, we study five diseases namely, HIV/AIDS, measles, diphtheria, hepatitis B and polio. The experiment concluded that, on majority, random forest produces better results of classification based on the economic factors of the combination of various countries of different continents

Women health is always at risk due to her socio economic secondary status in Indian society. External opening of her reproductive system is surrounded by the infection prone zones like anal and urethral openings. Also her involvement in reproductive and sexual acts leads to many infectious disease. This entire course along with many anatomical deformities results in various pathophysiological conditions of reproductive system affecting her health. Such conditions are called as Yonivyapad i.e. diseases of female reproductive system in Ayurved texts. Puberty, menarche, sexually active and reproductive period, antenatal period, perpurium, use of various contraceptive aids, menopausal time and various gynaecological diseases are common events of her life. Twenty Yonivyapada are described by all major Ayurved Sanhita. Causes for many of them are local factors and rest are due to complications of major systemic illness. Doshas are major causative factor in yonivyapada. Various local remedies called as Sthanik Chikitsa are available which can give relief at most extent in certain Yonivyapda. Local modalities like Basti, Uttarbasti, Varti, Kalka Dharan, Kshar Pratisaran, Yoni Dhupan, Sek, Abhyang, Pichu, and Yonidhavan are much effective than any modern remedies. But these therapies are practised at institutional levels only. They are not even popular in upcoming generation of Ayurved practitioners. Promotion of these therapies at small set ups is essential to establish good clinical outcome in the management of gynaecological disorders by Ayurved therapy. Their simple techniques, importance, efficacy and cost effectiveness are more favourable aspects to implement them conveniently. Wide use and large scale acceptance can result into implementation of Sthanic chikitsa in the government public health centres in future.

Abstract Background Older people are representative of the vulnerable population. According to census 2011, the proportion of elderly in India is 8.6%. Owing to social transformation and evolving lifestyles, the number of old age homes is increasing rapidly with institutionalized elderly having poorer oral health status. This study was conducted to assess the situation among the sample of institutions meant for the elderly and to plan relevant intervention, policy development aligning with principles of health promotion to improve the oral health quality of life. Methods A mixed-method study was adopted after approval from the institutional ethical board. To plan an appropriate intervention, situation analysis was done by conducting in-depth interviews, administrating questionnaires and direct observation. The intervention was planned based on the data obtained by building healthy public policy by a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between institutions, distribution of oral hygiene aids, oral health education, and demonstration of oral hygiene techniques. Institutionalized elderly selected for intervention in an old age home were 82. At baseline, oral health quality of life was assessed using the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). After 3 months follow-up, Paired t-tests were used to compare baseline and follow-up data. Results Qualitative data on thematic analysis revealed that administrators highlighted on fiscal, economic, administrative, personnel, ethical aspects of policy instrument and type of oral health care services to be provided. Quantitative results showed that mean and SD for the pre and post GOHAI score was 1.6 ± 0.41 and 3.06 ± 0.80 (P < 0.001) Conclusions Oral health promotion approach to address challenges and issues at the community level appears a more promising approach as it facilitates a systematic process and more comprehensive. Policy initiatives with stakeholders brought a sustainable improvement of oral health quality of life. Key messages Ottawa charter model oral health promotion based intervention with the coordination of stakeholders helps in improving functional ability and intrinsic capacity of institutionalized elderly. To improve the quality of life among institutionalized elderly there is a need for transformation of health systems away from disease based curative models to comprehensive health care models.

Health is the measure of our body’s efficiency and over-all well-being. Health triangle consisting of physical, social, and mental health is a standard for many health aspects. Physical activity (PA) is any bodily movement that uses energy produced by the skeletal muscles. It is obvious that PA is important for both social and physical development. Physical inactivity has a large-scale detrimental influence on health-related concerns such as cardiovascular disease (including hypertension and stroke), hyperlipidemia, obesity, depression, and anxiety, which is the root of many non-communicable diseases. Approximately 60-85% of the world's population is unable to meet the minimum daily PA recommendation. It is estimated that 2 million people die each year because of physical inactivity. Insufficient activity increased by 5% (from 31.6-36.8%) in high-income countries between 2001 and 2016. Globally, 81% of adolescents aged 11-17 years were insufficiently physically active in 2016 [1]. In Pakistan, levels of PA are far from adequate. Overall, sedentary lifestyle is prevalent, and 58.7% subjects had no or low PA in their routine daily lives. Medium-level PA was observed in 34.8% of male and 39.8% of female subjects [2]. Several benefits and risks are associated with physical activity. Regular physical exercise has been shown to aid in the prevention and management of noncommunicable illnesses. PA lowers the risk of some types of cancer. It can be used to control and treat type II diabetes (noninsulin-dependent), as well as to preserve bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. It also aids in the prevention of hypertension, the maintenance of a healthy body, improvement of mental health and quality of life. Furthermore, PA has been used to maintain and increase weight and gives physical, social, emotional, and cognitive advantages. Promoting physical activity in the early stages of life is critical for children's and adults' healthy development. In Pakistan sedentary lifestyle is growing with rapid urbanization and modernization. Use of television, mobile and social media has increased. Number of sedentary jobs have raised in recent years and health is suffering because of all that inactivity. Several infectious and non-infectious diseases are prevailing within the population dye to physical inactivity. Following the global approach, healthy lifestyle and diet culture should be promoted in workplaces and households. Newest versions of research questionnaires and surveys used globally, need to be used in Pakistan. Different scales are needed to be devised and assessed contemplating socio-economic and geographic profile of Pakistan. National wide analysis of knowledge, attitude, and practice of is also recommended that will help stakeholders and government for taking adequate and direct initiatives for an ultimate healthy community.

Every year on 24 March, World Tuberculosis Day is commemorated annually, for raising the public awareness regarding devastating consequences of tuberculosison health and economic aspects of life. This helps to launch efforts to end the globalepidemic of tuberculosis. On the date of 24th March in 1882, Dr. Robert Koch announced about the discovery of bacterium that causes tuberculosis.1 It was held on 24th March 1982 first time by The World Health Organization at the 100th anniversary of Dr. Koch’s discovery. The target 3.3 of SDG calls for, by 2030, ending the epidemics of tuberculosis, malaria, AIDS, combat other communicable and water-borne diseases. A large number of people 1.7 billion, roughly 23% of the world's population suffered from tuberculosis. In the world, each year 1.5 million people died due to TB, proving it a leading infectious killer disease. Thirty countries having the high burden of TB, accounted for 87% of new TB cases during 2019.2 Among these, two thirds of the total cases were in India, Indonesia, China, Bangladesh, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, and South Africa. An estimated 510,000 new TB cases are emerging each year in Pakistan. Among these about, 15 000 are developing drug resistant TB cases. Pakistan is bearing 61% of the TB burden in the EMRO. Tuberculosis is preventable and curable disease. The causative agent of tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, most often affect the lungs. The vaccine for tuberculosis (TB) disease is called BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guérin). In 1921, first patient was vaccinated with BCG vaccine, 13 years were spent in the making the vaccine. In countries where TB is common, BCG vaccine is given to infants and small children. It does not always protect people from getting TB. BCG vaccine is included in national Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in Pakistan and given at birth. To make TB free Pakistan through universal access to quality TB care, National TB Control Program (NTP) is striving for achieving Zero TB death by reducing 50% prevalence of TB in general population by 2025. The mode of transmission of TB from person to person is through the air. The TB germs are propelled into the air,when people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit carelessly due to lack of awareness that they are participating in the spread of disease and weakening the efforts. These germs are when inhaled by other people, resulting in lung infection, which is called primary TB. From primary TB infection, majority of people recover withoutany further evidence of the disease. For years the infection may stay inactive (latent). People with TB infection are not contagious, do not have any symptoms, and do not put their friends, co-workers and family at risk. Many people who have latent TB infection never develop TB disease. In these people, the TB bacteria remain inactive for a lifetime without causing disease. But in other people, especially people who have weak immune systems, the bacteria become active, multiply, and cause TB disease. There is good news for people with TB disease! It can almost always be treated and cured with medicine. But the medicine must be taken as directed by Physician. The relapse rate differs by a country's incidence and control: 0–27% of TB relapses occur within 2 years after treatment completion and most relapses occur within 5 years; however, some relapses occur 15 years after treatment. A person who has genital tuberculosis can infect others through sexual contact. The most common means of spreading genital TB can be through blood or lymph. Hence, sexual contact can spread genital tuberculosis. Genital tuberculosis can spread to any other body organ, once it enters the body. Consuming a diet high in nutritious foods and beverages is a smart way to support and protect lung health. Coffee, dark leafy greens, fatty fish, peppers, tomatoes, olive oil, oysters, blueberries, and pumpkin are just some examples of foods and drinks that have been shown to benefit lung function. Milk can be used by TB patient. It is also a great source of protein, providing strength necessary to perform day-to-day activities. Directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS, also known as TB-DOTS) is the name given to the tuberculosis (TB) control strategy recommended by the World Health Organization. According to WHO, "The most cost-effective way to stop the spread of TB in communities with a high incidence is by curing it. The usual treatment is: two antibiotics (isoniazid and rifampicin) for 6 months, two additional antibiotics (pyrazinamide and ethambutol) for the first 2 months of the 6-month treatment period. Groups with high rates of TB transmission are homeless persons, injection drug users, and persons with HIV infection are more susceptible for TB and persons who have immigrated from areas of the world with high rates of TB. The disease is prevalent mainly in the underprivileged sections of the society. The lack of knowledge in the masses and the communities is a factor that contributes largely to the spread of the disease. The theme of World TB Day 2020 was “It's TIME to end TB” and in 2021 it is,” Am I stopping TB” highlighting the importance of awareness. It is the time to fuel the awareness program with full energy, resources and ways. In such a scenario, there is always a need for new and innovative ideas to create mass awareness about tuberculosis. The more focus of this awareness campaign should be very much targeted towards people living in an area where there are a lot of people are with TB, or have been homeless or live in poorly ventilated or overcrowded housing and sufferers of a weakened immune system.