ISLAMABAD – Tuberculosis (TB) is increasing alarmingly in the country, as 4,910 confirmed new cases were reported nationwide in January this year as compared to 4,366 cases reported in the previous month. This was reveled by FAFEN’s monthly Health Scan, a report analyzing the data of a selection of diseases gathered by FAFEN Monitors from Health Offices across Pakistan.
According to the report cases of probable poliomyelitis continue to persist in parts of Pakistan despite rigorous efforts by the government to eradicate the disease (both probable poliomyelitis cases as well as confirmed cases of polio) from the country, as ten cases of probable poliomyelitis were reported nationwide in month of January current year.
Sindh and KP have reported 15 and 6 cases of probable poliomyelitis since November 2010 to January 2011. Reports from KP originated from the same district (Haripur) in both November and December. Furthermore, one confirmed polio case was also reported in Karachi district in November 2010. Therefore, in general, greater attention is needed in this regard in all regions of the country. EDO Health Offices in 19 districts of Punjab, 17 of Sindh, 14 of KP, and 9 of Balochistan, as well as the office of the Agency Surgeon Health in FR Peshawar, and that of the Health Management Information System in ICT shared the information about reported cases of diseases with FAFEN Monitors. The report states that one case of suspected HIV/AIDs was reported in Kech district of Balochistan in January 2011.
The reportage of the disease in recent months has remained discrepant; no cases were documented in 76 Health Offices nationwide during November 2010, while 30 were reported in two Health Offices in December 2010. With regard to district wise analysis of diseases, Kasur (Punjab) was observed to be the most disease affected district nationwide, as 99,889 cases out of a total 1,386,168 were reported in the EDO Health Office. Swat was the second most disease affected district nationwide, with 69,714 cases of diseases reported in the EDO Health Office.
In line with trends observed since November 2010, respiratory tract infections (RTIs) constituted the majority (59 percent) of all diseases reported in January, 15 percent were cases of gastrointestinal infections (diarrhoea and dysentery, taken together, and gastroenteritis) while 12 percent were cases of scabies. Viral diseases accounted for 10 percent of all diseases reported in January.
