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The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has extended 6.4 million dollars for expansion of Pakistan's National TB Control Programme through the World Health Organisation (WHO). This was announced by Anne Aarnes, USAID's Pakistan Mission Director, on World TB Day here on Monday.
The World TB Day is observed every year on March 24. The slogan for World TB Day this year is 'I am stopping TB'. According to WHO, TB remains one of the leading causes of death in Pakistan and is responsible for five percent of the country's total disease burden. TB has been identified as a major development challenge for Pakistan.
Pakistan is 8th among the 22 high burden countries with incidence of 177 per 100,000 population for all types of tuberculosis. An estimated 280,000 citizens contract TB each year. There are more than 5,000 diagnostic and treatment facilities throughout the country. In 2006, Pakistan alone had 55 percent of the total detected cases in the region, indicating that TB control activities are making a difference.
However, this data is based on information gathered from public sector healthcare facilities only and does not include cases reported by private sector healthcare providers. For meeting the MDG goals in case of tuberculosis, there is a need to contextualise current progress for reducing the incidence of TB.
According to Health Indicator 2007, if Pakistan achieves 70/85 of targets then the incidence would reduce to 3-5 percent annually and will be possible to achieve the MDGs goals for TB by 2015.
The National TB Control Programme was revived in 2000 to DOTS strategy of operational. Since then, 798,222 patients have been registered for treatment, of which 85 percent have successfully been cured. Though, according to officials, the government is committed to focus on mobilising communities, raising awareness, encouraging provincial/para-government agencies and donors to invest in TB control on priority basis.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2008

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