"I am a tuberculosis survivor" and that is why "I took up" the cause of spreading awareness about the disease, Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan today said ahead of World Tuberculosis Day.
"Many people ask me why I contribute my services to medical cause. I have had a complicated medical history. One of the reasons I took up TB is because I am a TB survivor. In 2000, I was detected with TB and went through a very rigorous treatment for almost a year. I contracted TB on the day I was going to start TV show KBC. It was a TB of spine.
"It's very uncomfortable. You cannot sit or lie down. Most of the time, I was on 8-10 pain killers a day just to survive the period when I was anchoring the game show," the megastar said as he joined US Ambassador to India Richard R Verma, civil society and health workers for a reception ahead of World Tuberculosis Day on March 24.
He said that with treatment for a year, he became free of the disease.
"The reason I disclosed is that I felt that the word survivor is somehow is a very powerful word. When I say I am TB survivor, it seems like I survived a plane crash or boat sinking. If you survive that, it lends a lot of power and strength to what you are saying deeper. It's like saying that I have survived it because I went through a process," he said.
"...I said let me go there and say I am a TB survivor and I play with my grandchildren and live a normal life. That it cannot get transferred. There are precautions, of course," he said.
Aimed at keeping up the recent momentum behind collaborative TB efforts, the Roosevelt House reception at the American Embassy focuses attention on TB survivors.
Bachchan, who is the Centre's brand ambassador for 'Call to Action for a TB-free India', said TB is normally associated with people who live with lesser means but everybody is "vulnerable" to the disease.
"It seems a little arrogant and immodest to say but what I really want to say is that if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone. It's not trying to place degree amongst people. It's just trying to say that anyone can contract TB.
"If it is not detected in time, it can become grave. I had the medical help and guidance to get it detected and if I am sitting here as healthy, it was partly because we were able to detect the disease in time," he said.
He said that medical science has improved over the years and there is very "efficient and professional" treatment for TB.
"I do hope that just like we worked continuously and rigorously towards polio eradication, which was something I was associated as brand ambassador for the United Nations for eight years. We finally have a polio-free India. I hope in times to come, with all our combined efforts, we can say that India is now TB free," he said.
The programme included insights from a short documentary on Deepti Chavan, a multi-drug resistant TB survivor and active patient advocate while several other survivors spoke.
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Noting that he was "in person and in spirit" to further the cause in whatever manner he could, the actor said, "I have already done films and videos for Maharashtra government. If it's an all India or a pan-India and if you want to do any more campaign I will be more happy to do it."
He said he would be associated with the campaign to free India of TB till it is eliminated.
To a query why celebrities take up such causes, the superstar said that sometimes a known face is perhaps more believable.
"When we work in our movies and do leading roles, it comes out very believable at the end. That's just the kind of ripple effect that they would have if they were to talk about a cause like TB. I hope many more colleagues of mine will attach themselves with this cause," he said.
Referring to how doctors abroad do not disclose the ailment of patients, he said that he hoped such a thing which does not exist in India now comes here as well.
US Ambassador Verma said that working with the Indian government and partners, the US government has invested close to US dollars 100 million to prevent and control TB in India and has helped to treat over 15 million people in the last 18 years.
"All of our work is inspired by and is entirely for the courageous survivors like those here today. They are the reason why we are motivated to do all we can to reach every person with TB, cure those in need of treatment, and prevent new TB infections.
"Each of us has an important role in this fight to end TB under the leadership of the Government of India. Working together and leveraging our combined capacities, we can win this fight," Verma said.
