SHARE LOVE, NOT TUBERCULOSIS

 FUNMI OLOPADE

Let Brotherly Love continue is a saying common among people. It is good to share love amongst ourselves and care for people. Sharing love in terms of material needs, edible substances, be it food or drinks is vital, but many a times very dangerous to health. Communicable diseases are diseases that can easily be spread or transferred from one person to another, which result into deadly sicknesses.

Students tend to be vulnerable to all kinds of communicable diseases because they come in contact with different people especially in the hostels where they have roommates. This makes them vulnerable to attacks due to the fact that a person with this type of diseases cannot be visibly or physically identified. They drink from the same cup, eat from the same plate with the same spoon which can make them get infected or become terminally ill or a stigma they will nurse for the rest of their lives.

Tuberculosis is one of the deadly common communicable diseases that truncate many destinies or make them bedridden or drug dependant. It can be easily contacted that is why as students we need to take some precautions or medical ethical measures to avoid bad situations or story that touches the heart. Not sharing the same cup or spoon with your neighbour or friend does not mean you loathe or dislike them. It does not make you proud, cruel, arrogant or judgemental. It is called simple health ethics. Most people infected with the bacteria that cause tuberculosis don’t have symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they usually include a cough (sometimes blood-tinged), weight loss, night sweats and fever. Also, people may experience pains in the chest, while breathing, whole body chills, fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, malaise, or night sweats and so on. If you have a cough that last up to 2 or 3 weeks visit your doctor.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by bacteria that are spread through the air from person to person. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal. People infected with TB bacteria who are not sick can take medication to prevent TB disease from developing in the future. Learn to recognize the symptoms of TB disease and find out if you are at risk.

So, having your personal cup and spoon is medically advisable, though sharing things is not a crime. But for health purposes have your cutlery.  Tuberculosis is real.