Today is World Day to Fight Tuberculosis, a disease that still kills 100 people every day in Bangladesh. The testimony of a doctor and Missionary of the Immaculate Conception, who has been working for 12 years in Khulna, on this border: “Many still do not know tuberculosis and they arrive when they are already serious. By caring for them, I am a sign of Jesus’ love for all “.
Khulna () – Today is World Tuberculosis Day, a disease that continues to be a serious public health problem in many Asian countries.
The World Health Organization notes that of the countries with a high TB burden globally, six are in South Asia and the Southeast Asia region: they are Bangladesh, North Korea, India, Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand. To these is added Nepal, which stands out in the specific statistics of multiresistant forms of the disease. In Bangladesh, TB affects one person every minute and an average of 100 people die from the disease every day.
The motto of the Conference this year is “Yes! We can defeat tuberculosis!”. And it is the challenge that Sister Roberta Pignone, an Italian nun of the Missionaries of the Immaculate Conception (the PIME sisters), has faced every day for 12 years in Bangladesh. She works among the poor in the suburbs of the Khulna diocese, caring for those who come for help, especially those suffering from leprosy and tuberculosis. In addition to a small 33-bed hospital, 3 outpatient centers and 15 tuberculosis control centers, Sister Roberta’s work involves extensive outreach through the streets of Khulna to educate people and provide treatment to those who suffer. She lovingly cares for about 40 patients every day.
“By caring for tuberculosis patients, I am a sign of the love of Jesus,” he explained to . “As they are in need, many patients cannot afford nutritious food, so in addition to medicine we also provide them with food for free.”
The Hna. Pignone directs the project and is a doctor. She works at Damien Hospital and explains that the Missionaries of the Immaculate have been caring for leprosy patients in Bangladesh for many years. Starting in 2012, they also began caring for tuberculosis patients. “We realized that, little by little, leprosy patients were decreasing, but tuberculosis patients were increasing. Now, in our hospital in Khulna, half the beds are for them,” says the doctor.
“Many people do not know tuberculosis”, continues the missionary of the Immaculate Conception. In recent times we have seen that they come to us when their situation is already serious. We advise the sick to take other family members to be diagnosed and we ask them followed up with special treatment. We run an awareness program so that people can protect themselves against this disease.”
The Bangladeshi government provides the medicines, while Caritas helps run the hospital. The Hna. Roberta says that she is happy to be able to serve the people of Bangladesh in this way, without distinction in religious matters. “In our hospital, more than 95% of the patients are non-Christians, and by giving them love, I bear witness to the Gospel of Jesus.”
Professor Ahmedul Kabir, Deputy Director General of the Bangladesh Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), told that, according to DGHS data, 307,561 new patients were diagnosed in the country in 2021, but it is estimated that there are 67,439 more cases that were not detected. “We are working to eradicate or at least control this disease by 2030,” he added, “but to achieve this it is necessary to raise awareness among the population about the symptoms, the diagnosis and the availability of treatments.”
