Big B unaware of suffering from tuberculosis for 8 years

For eight years, megastar Amitabh Bachchan did not know he was suffering from Tuberculosis and said that he has does not mind calling himself a tuberculosis survivor. Amitabh was at NDTV’s Swasth India launch and was speaking to doctor Harsh Vardhan urging him to spread awareness about regular check ups to facilitate early diagnosis. “I keep quoting my personal example all the time and try and propagate the idea of getting yourself detected and I don’t mind saying this publicly: I am a tuberculosis survivor, Hepatitis B survivor… Bad blood infusion went in and 75 per cent of my liver is gone but because I was able to detect it even after a period of 20 years, when 75 percent of my liver is gone. I am still surviving on 25 percent,” said Big B. The 76-year-old star, who has been associated with various health campaigns like Polio, Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis and diabetes, urged people to get tested and diagnosed. “Then there is a cure. I did not know for almost 8 years I was suffering from Tuberculosis. I keep saying that with immodesty if it can happen to me, it can to anyone. Therefore, if you are not willing to get yourself tested then you would never find out and there’s never going to be a cure for it,” he said. (IANS)