ISLAMABAD – Pakistan ranks sixth globally among 22 high disease burden countries with 0.7 million cases of tuberculosis. Studies show government’s failure to curb spread of TB as over 400,000 new cases are reported every year. World Tuberculosis Day is being marked today (on 24 March), with the aim to build public awareness about the epidemic of tuberculosis and efforts to eliminate the disease. Today tuberculosis causes the deaths of about 1.6 million people each year. In Pakistan since devolution to the provinces, the Health Ministry has not organised even a single event to create awareness among masses.
March 24 commemorates the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch astounded the scientific community by announcing that he had discovered the cause of tuberculosis. According to WHO almost one-third of the world’s population is currently afflicted with TB. Despite having a National TB Control Programme, the situation is dismal the national programme too would be devolved to the provinces.
Health experts are of the view that provinces could not manage the health care sector on their own and the TB treatment too could take a setback. Dr Waseem Khawaja, Director Social Welfare, PIMS told Pakistan Today that the disease was a serious health hazard, as one might not notice any symptoms until it was too late. When contacted Director General Health Asad Hafiz said that ministry had already started an awareness campaign through media.
