ISLAMABAD – Because of an inadequate system to ensure quality and supply of medicines and weak surveillance system, 440,000 new Multi-Drug Resistance (MDR) cases of Tuberculosis (TB) are being registered annually across the world.
This was revealed by Dr Khalid Saeed Bukhari, World Health Organization (WHO) country advisor here on Thursday while speaking at the 1st Pakistan Health and Hygiene Conference, organized by Global Hygiene Council to mark the World Health Day. The Global Hygiene Council is a think-tank of leading experts in microbiology, virology, infectious diseases and public health and hygiene who recognise and promote that improved hygiene practice leads to better health.
Dr Khalid said that the WHO is focusing on raising the awareness of the people on hygiene and health education, appropriate use of antimicrobials, disease prevention and infection control and diagnosis and management. Federal Deputy Director General Health Dr Arshad Karim Chandio said that health indicators in Pakistan are not satisfactory as child mortality rate in Pakistan is 275/ 100,000 whereas only 39 percent women are attended by skilled health attendants during delivery and only 29 percent of rural population has access to sanitation facilities.
While responding to a question he said, “Legislation to control quackery and to prohibit medical stores to given any medicine without the prescription by a qualified doctor is need badly.” Prof John Oxford, chair of the Global Hygiene Council (GHC), while sharing the results of a global study said that the worst sites failing the bacterial and mould tests were the bathroom seats, the fridge interior and the general kitchen towel.
Emphasising the theme for 2011 – Hygiene: Changing Behaviour -Protecting Health, Prof Oxford stressed that the GHC’s main focus is on understanding hygiene behaviour and looking at strategies to change it for the long run, to provide balanced realistic messages/education so people can make informed decisions and remain vigilant and offer recommendations to help communities to a healthier future.
Interestingly, a study about the level of hygiene awareness in the 3 cities including Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi/Islamabad divulged that only 9 percent respondents to the survey said that the kitchen and the kitchen cloth could be the source of bacteria. Presenting this study, Dr Samia Babar, director, Health Awareness Society said that though there is a high level of awareness about washing hands after visiting the toilet, before and after meals and after coming in from the outside only 33 percent use antibacterial soaps.
