"Valuing every breath! Let's save the lives of people with TB!" – under this slogan, a public event took place on 23 March 2018 near the central entrance to the building of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
The aim of the event was to draw the government's attention to the problem of overcoming the TB epidemic in Ukraine, to increase awareness of the Ukrainian capital's residents about the danger of TB and the need to have it diagnosed in time and undergo a full course of treatment.
The event was organised by the Charitable Organisation "The Ukrainians Against Tuberculosis" and "Stronger Than TB" All-Ukrainian Association of People Who Recovered from Tuberculosis with support from The Global Alliance for TB Drug Development, Inc.
During the event, public activists and representatives of the community of TB sufferers honoured the memory of those who died of the disease. In front of the MoH's building, 11 white balloons were let go symbolising the number of people dying of tuberculosis every day in Ukraine.
Then, 11 grey balloons were let go symbolising the number of people who will die of TB tomorrow if we don't change anything in the policy on dealing with TB today.
Afterwards, 11 heart-shaped balloons symbolising the hope to save the lives of Ukrainian people with TB were given out to those present at the event.
Volunteers from among people who recovered from TB told those interested their story of overcoming TB and gave out informational and educational literature.
The participants in the event read out and passed to an official of the MoH of Ukraine an address to the Ukrainian and international community "Making history. Let's put an end to TB".
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