Sep 02, Kathmandu - In the last fiscal year, 39,000 people were diagnosed with tuberculosis.

The National Tuberculosis Control Center has reported that 39,118 people were diagnosed with tuberculosis in the fiscal year 2081/082. Of these, 1,280 people died.

Dr. Shriram Tiwari, Director of the National Tuberculosis Control Center, said that currently 181 people are infected per 100,000 population.

He said that work is being done to reduce the number to less than 10 per 100,000 by 2035.

Similarly, he said that the target is to reduce it to less than 1 per 1 million population by 2050.

Speaking at a program organized by the Health Journalists Forum on Monday, Tiwari, Director of the National Tuberculosis Control Center, said that new strategies and programs have been put forward to meet the target.

If detected on time and treated regularly, tuberculosis can be completely cured. The government has made testing and treatment free.

Speaking at the event, senior chest disease specialist Dr. Nabin Prakash Shah said that 50 percent of people with tuberculosis will die if they are not treated.

Similarly, 25 percent will get infected themselves and 25 percent will spread it to others.

Stating that there will be a lot of poverty in underdeveloped countries, Dr. Shah said that as long as poverty exists, the problem of TB will also exist.