Experts at a seminar said on Saturday that Tuberculosis (TB) claims 68,000 lives annually in the country while an untreated patient transfers the disease to 10-15 people during this period.
They informed this at a seminar organised by the Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases of Dow University of Health Sciences at its campus to mark the World Tuberculosis (TB) Day here on Saturday. A walk and a drama skit were also organised on this occasion.
The walk was led by Secretary Health Syed Hashim Raza Zaidi and Vice Chancellor DUHS Prof. Masood Hameed Khan. The speakers said that TB is a deadly disease and at present 0.7 million people were suffering from it in the country.
Secretary Health Syed Hashim Raza Zaidi said that the government was taking serious measures to curb this disease. He said the Sindh province had 1000 treatment and 272 diagnostic centers where all the medicines and related investigation were provided free of cost.
The secretary said the TB Control Program 2009-2012 was running smoothly in Sindh at a cost of Rs 213 million and it would be extended in the future. He assured his full support in the TB Control Program activities.
Vice Chancellor Dow University Prof. Masood Hameed said that the negligence, carelessness and unawareness about TB leads to a very cruel and complicated form of the disease known as Multi Drug Resistant-Tuberculosis (MDR-TB).
He informed that the seriousness could be understand that in Ojha Hospital 100 MDR TB patients were on waiting list for the TB treatment. The Dow University through its own resources would provide treatment to those waiting patients.
He said that the Dow University would soon start web based training program for family physician. He requested the philanthropist to generously donate for the cause of TB.
Director TB Control Dr. Ismat Ara stated that 50,986 TB patients had been registered in 2010 in Sindh alone while 88% of them were treated successfully.
Director Ojha Dr Iftikhar Ahmed said that at present more than 4,000 TB patients were being treated in its four filter clinics in the city. He said that 3,000 people were being treated in its main hospitals every year all of these patients were not charged for even a penny.
Internationally renowned social personality, including Chairman Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Muhammad Siddique, APWA Chairman Jahan Ara Hai, Director TB Control Sindh Dr. Ismat Ara and other eminent personalities from different walks of life, also attended the walk. haris hanif
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