Captions

As with other diseases, the historical relationship between tuberculosis and poverty is part of a vicious circle: not only does the illness affect mainly poor people and the marginalized; it also causes increased poverty and exclusion.

1. As with other diseases, the historical relationship between tuberculosis and poverty is part of a vicious circle: not only does the illness affect mainly poor people and the marginalized; it also causes increased poverty and exclusion.

Certain characteristics of the illness especially caught my attention: the way in which its history is linked with that of the HIV epidemic; its close relationship to social and economic factors, such as people living and working in crowded, poorly ventilated conditions; or the long duration of treatment (six months) which frequently ends up in sufferers stopping their medication too early. This last characteristic of the disease creates a new problem: stopping treatment too soon doesn’t just fail to eradicate the disease; it also results in the development of new and more resistant forms of the illness.

2. Certain characteristics of the illness especially caught my attention: the way in which its history is linked with that of the HIV epidemic; its close relationship to social and economic factors, such as people living and working in crowded, poorly ventilated conditions; or the long duration of treatment (six months) which frequently ends up in sufferers stopping their medication too early. This last characteristic of the disease creates a new problem: stopping treatment too soon doesn’t just fail to eradicate the disease; it also results in the development of new and more resistant forms of the illness.

The reason sufferers give up treatment is again related to poverty: as soon as they begin to feel better (within one or two months), they want to return to productive work or spare themselves the expense of having to continue taking medication.

3. The reason sufferers give up treatment is again related to poverty: as soon as they begin to feel better (within one or two months), they want to return to productive work or spare themselves the expense of having to continue taking medication.

Finalist 2008

Juan Sierra

Tuberculosis, a Disease of the Poor Series

Presentation

The photos were taken on the 11th October 2008 in the Rajan Babu Hospital for Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases in Delhi, India.This hospital is the biggest in Asia specializing in tuberculosis.

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