|
In Pakistan
over 80% of TB patients are going to private health sector for the
diagnosis and management of TB and without involving this sector,
Pakistan will not be able to control this single largest infectious
killer of mankind. This was stated by Dr. Fayyaz Hussain, Associate
Professor and Section Head Pulmonology at Aga Khan University (AKU),
in a seminar held on the occasion of World TB Day.
Dr. Nadeem Rizvi,
Head, Department of Chest Medicine at JPMC, said that poverty is
the biggest enemy of tuberculosis. "Thousands of patients die in
Pakistan from TB every year because these patients cannot bear the
cost of TB treatment," he regretted. The government of Pakistan
must follow the example of Bangladesh where 90% of TB patients are
provided free anti-drugs under directly observed treatment, short
course strategy (DOTS). Various NGOs and private sector should also
come forward and help the government in its efforts to curb the
TB epidemic in Pakistan, he added.
Prof. Javaid
A. Khan, Consultant Chest Physician at AKU, stressed the need for
changes in the existing curriculum of medical colleges on TB. Quoting
research conducted by Pakistan Chest Society and AKU on the knowledge
of TB amongst fresh medical graduates, he said that only 5% of doctors
could write the correct anti-TB drug prescription.
Speaking on
the rise in the number of TB cases in Pakistani children, Dr. Naseeruddin
Mahmood, Consultant Paediatrician, AKUH, said that most children
get TB from adult patients and it is absolutely vital that each
adult patient should be treated adequately inorder to prevent the
spread of TB amongst children. Dr. Nisar Rao, Lecturer, AKUH said
that the stigma attached with TB in our society must be removed. "TB is a curable disease provided appropriate anti-TB treatment
is taken for a period of six to eight months. Doctors must educate
their patients in order to remove their fears about anti-TB medicines.
Dr. Amanullah
Ansari, TB Programme Officer of WHO for Sindh, said that the government
is rapidly spreading DOTS in the province of Sindh and it is expected
that by year 2005 this province will have 100% DOTS facility at
all its public health care facilities.
Dr. Rumina Hasan,
Consultant Microbiologist at AKU, described multi-drug resistance
TB (MDR) as a real threat to the entire country. "This type of TB
does not respond to usual anti-TB drugs, and develops when patients
fail to take appropriate treatment on a regular basis," she added.
She said that although there are a number of labs in the major cities
of Pakistan, there is no mechanism to ensure quality control in
those labs. "Sputum microscopy remains the best test to diagnose
lung TB," she suggested.
Dr. Tanveer-ul-Haque,
Consultant Radiologist at AKU, highlighted X-ray findings on TB,
and noted that X-ray alone was not enough to judge whether the disease
is active or healed.
|
