Karachi: TB is an infectious disease that usually affects adult population of the country. In Pakistan, 418,000 new cases are occurring every year. Approx 3000 MDR patients develop in sindh every year. In Sindh every year 15,200 peoples are dying due to TB. The TB cases detected in private sectors are not reported to National and Provincial TB Control Program. There is need to create mass awareness in order to reduce the menace of TB and for that stakeholder should come forward and join hand in the fight against TB. These views were expressed by senior experts of Provincial Tuberculosis Control Program (PTP) at a Media Workshop held today at Al Haramain Hotel, Karachi.
The Media Workshop on TB was organized by Provincial Tuberculosis Control Program (PTP) in collaboration with National TB Control Program (NTP) to celebrate “World TB Day 2012”. The workshop was attended by PTP Managers, Unit Heads, GF Objective Coordinators, Technical and Implementing Partners of NTP.
Dr. Asmat Ara, Program Manager, Provincial TB Control Program Sindh said that TB is an infectious disease that usually affects adult population of the country. according to WHO estimate, 231 all TB cases per 100000 population and 97 new sputum smear positive cases per 100000 populations develop in the country each year as such 418000 new TB case develop in Pakistan including 92500 in Sindh every year. Pakistan ranks 6th among 22 countries with higest burden of TB in the world.
According to WHO estaimates approx 3000 MDR patients develop in sindh every year. A pilot project on management of MDR cases has been started at two major hospital OJHA and INDUS. Till December 2011, 464 confirmed cases of MDR has been registered and 414 have been enrolled on treatment.
She informed that a new device for rapid diagnosis of MDR know as GeneXpert has been made available in four hospital and is available free of cost. The Provincial TB Control Program is making arrangement to extend free diagnosis and treatment through quality assured paediatric drugs throughout all district of Sindh during the year 2012.
Since the devolution of 18th amendment, PTP is responsible for overall supervision and support the district health services, teaching hospitals, NGOs and private sector/ clinics for effective implementation of DOT in their respective consitutuencies.
She was of the view that PTP mission is to reduce mortality, morbidity, tramission of the disease and prevention of MDR-TB. The contact screening is an integral part of TB control rpgraom but unfortunately the screening of contacts of smear positive cases is still very low.
She maintained that the government is fully committed to control this disease and Health Department, government of Sindh is taking a lot of efforts through provincial TB Control Programme Sindh. The Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (DOTS) strategy has been adopted to control this disease, which has been implemented in all the districts of Sindh. To fight against this killer disease, TB awareness among the masses plays an important role.
Dr. Amanullah Ansari, Provincial Technical Officer (WHO) Sindh on the occasion said that there is need to create mass awareness in order to reduce the menace of TB and for that stakeholder should come forward and join hand in the fight against TB. Awaress key messaging and screening will reduce the TB cases.
Dr. Salman Ahmed of Indus Hospital said that we are working with PTP in order to detect new TB cases. We are working on four strategy which includes TB DOT Strategy, PMDT, TB Reach Project 1 and TB Reach Project 2. Paediatric TB is also increasing TB day by day. Awareness is not important tool to eliminate TB.
Dr. Nazir Mangi of Bridge Consultancy informed that Bridge is working under the umbrella of PTP. We are focusing of advocacy and social mobilization. Our scope of works includes TB DOT through Public Private Mix (PPM), strengthing TB DOT in Paranental hospital of sindh and TB/HIV co-infection.
Dr. Muntazir Jafri spoke on TB Reach Project 1. He informed that we are working in high risk TB areas. We are also training GPs because there role of counseling the patient is very important. Our strategies includes, training of GPs, Marketing, Health Workers training and mass communication.
Other who spoke on the occasion includes, Dr. Sri Chanda of MALC, Dr. Mubashir from AKU.
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