Resurgence of tuberculosis, a national health emergency

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The workshop was organised under National TB Control Program (NTP), a subsidiary of Ministry of Health, Govt of Pakistan & Provincial TB Control Program, Sindh. The objective was to orientate the media about the disease of TB & efforts being carried out to control it in Pakistan generally and Sindh particularly.



Experts discussed different aspects of Tuberculosis, a disease that kills more than 70,000 people annually in Pakistan only and has been declared national emergency.



Dr Raja Ayub of Global Fund Islamabad, Dr Iqtidar Ahmed Chaudhry, Director TB Control Program Sindh, Dr Nazeer Ahmed Shaikh, NPO Sindh WHO, Dr Aman Ullah Ansari, NPO/WHO, Dr Ismat Ara, Deputy Director NTP Karachi and Wasiq Mehmood, Communications Coordinator NTP Islamabad addressed the participants. Presenting the situation of TB prevalence and incidents in the country and Sindh province, experts and program officials stated, "Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) is the most effective treatment for TB today, through which complete cure could be attained under the observation of a health worker, family or a responsible person.



Describing DOTS, the panelists said that it is a 100 per cent cure solution of TB as evident by the fact that the outcome is more than 95 per cent for cured TB patients incase of DOTS implemented areas.



Specialists described different types, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and stigma attached to the disease.



They said cough more than three weeks, fever, low appetite, blood in sputum, sweating at night are the symptoms of TB, but final diagnosis can be made after analysis of sputum only.



Dr Ansari said that TB is the only disease, which has been declared global and national emergency because of its resurgence in recent years.



Kaynak: SağlıkHaber