Bhatt said this while speaking at the `19th State Wide Seminar on Tuberculosis, Lung Diseases and AIDS' which was declared open here at the New Civil hospital by noted ghazal singer Jagjit Singh. More than 450 delegates from the state are participating in the seminar.

While admitting that the figures regarding tuberculosis were not encouraging by any standards -- about 1000 people lose their lives to the disease on a daily basis -- Bhatt expressed confidence that with joint efforts by the government and voluntary agencies the disease could be eradicated by 2000. Bhatt, who presided over the inauguration, said the medical personnel had a tremendous task ahead of them and only genuine efforts in the direction would bring positive results.

The minister called for the formulation of a result-oriented action plan to combat the disease and added that the action plan should include data on the areas or localities where tuberculosis patients were found, their ages, their income, the strength of their respective families and the environment in which they resided. This data, he said, would go a long way in addressing the cause of the disease.

Underlining the need for cleanliness, he said a novel plan of the World Health Organisation `Dot Therapy' could be implemented under which medical personnel visit the houses of patients and administer medication instead of waiting for them to turn up at hospitals.

Speaking on the occasion, Health Commissioner R M Patel stated that if the hospitals could provide action plans before February 24 -- TB Eradication Day -- the State government would be able to provide effective directions to the departments concerned.

The minister also gave away the TB Shield champions medal to Ahmedabad District Tuberculosis Officer P K Shah for outstanding work by the district in combating the disease. A booklet on the disease was also released.