Prevention of MDR-Tuberculosis is still biggest challenge in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: experts

The prevention of Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR-TB) is still a biggest challenge, as number of patients increase during last year in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said health experts while speaking at a seminar on Tuesday. The seminar on titled: "Stop TB in My Life Time" organised by TB control Program Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with support of Global Fund, and other donor agencies here at Press Club.
Notable speakers were included Dr Ubaid Hussain, Project Director, Provincial TB Programme, Dr Yousuf, Chest Specialist, Dr Maqsood Ali, Dr Furruk Nasir, Dr Mohamamd Dost, Dr Mohammad Saeed Abid and other health experts. Dr Ubaid said that they had so far registered 200 new cases during last year, while nearly 300 patients being under treatment through a major MDR treatment facility at Lady Reading Hospital, while the facility would also be extended to Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad very shortly.
According to WHO report, he informed that the around 1,500 people were suffered from Multi-Drug Resistant TB every year in KP. He said they have set a target to upgrade facilities at public and private sector hospitals, to prevent 80 per cent MDR TB by 2015 in the KP.
He said the MDR diagnosis facility had been established at Hayatabad Medical Complex, which could be helpful to reduce the growing ratio of MDR patients in the province. Regarding the last year performance, he said more than 35,848 TB patients had been registered in 2012, out of which treatment of 94 per cent successfully carried out through diagnosis centres. Giving a ten year figure, he informed that the treatment of more than 293,166 patients had been completed from 2002-2012.
Under the program, he said 228 diagnosis and 810 treatment centres had been established in the province, through which free-treatment and check-up is being carried out. He further informed that around 50,000 people were suffered from Tuberculosis every year in the country, while Pakistan stood fifth among the TB infected countries around the world.