The federal government hospitals in the country would get 100 percent coverage facility of Directly Observed Treatment Short (DOTS), treatment of Tuberculosis under National TB Control Programme by 2005.
This was stated by Dr Karam Shah, manager of National TB Control Programme (NTBP), at the sixth biennial conference of the Pakistan Chest Society (PCS) on "Tuberculosis and Lung disease", here on Friday night.
He further said that the DOTS course of TB is being effectively used in the government hospitals throughout the country.
Dr Shah said every year about 250,000 new cases of TB are detected and the number of deaths caused due to this disease is about 60,000 annually. Most of the deaths are reported in economically productive group of population age between 21 to 60 years.
On the occasion, Peter Davies, Consultant Chest Physician for Liverpool, UK, spoke on the global scenario of TB and said about one-third of the population is already infected with this germ.
Serious preventive measures must be taken by governments to control this epidemic, Peter said, adding that the multi-drug resistance of TB (MDRTB) is a serious issue, while giving example of the disease and termed it a time bomb.
Peter said: "We must prevent the increase in MDR cases of TB and if this bomb explodes, we will not be able to control this serious threat to mankind."
A well-known chest specialist, Dr Bill Mc. Kelvie, who is using DOTS programme in Mirpurkhas, underlined the need that private sector should also be involved in the use of DOTS.
Professor Dr Javed Khan of Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) said without involving general physicians and private sector in TB control, the efforts will not bear fruitful results.
About 80 percent TB patients are still going to private sector hospitals and general practitioners for diagnosis and treatment, he added.
He underlined the importance of improvement in medical school curriculum, so that the graduates coming out of the schools are well equipped to tackle this single largest infectious killer of the world.
Professor Martyn R. Partridge of Imperial College said the situation of Asthma in the world is worsening. Over 5 million are suffering from Asthma and this number is increasing, he added.
Despite the fact an effective treatment of the disease is available, many people do not know about it, he said while dispelling the notion about side effects of using steroids in inhaler.
He said, there is no side effect of it because a minute dose is used which helps open the airway. People often confuse steroid tablets with the inhaler steroids, he added.
He outlined the main causes of Asthma and said that genetic is the predominant cause and other causes are diminished breath feeding, unhealthy diet and increased smoking. There is no complete cure of this disease, he added.
In her presentation, Dr Shahina Qayoom of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) gave an overview of prevalence of TB in South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) region.
She said despite the fact Saarc countries bear 22 percent of world population, the total global TB burden in Saarc is more than 29 percent.
The region is still far behind the WHO target of 70 percent case detection rate, she said, adding that evidence suggests that less number of female TB suspects are visiting health centres and even less number are being diagnosed as TB patient.
The treatment compliance is better in the female TB patients. Bangladesh, India and Pakistan are among high burden countries, she added.
While giving details, she said about 2.5 million new cases are reported every year (all types) and 1.10 million 'Sputum Smear Positive' cases are recorded per year. About 0.6 million deaths per year (more than 1666/day) are reported, she added.
Dr Shahina pointed out that the studies suggest that in the developing world an adult with TB can lose an average of 3-4 months of work time, which results in average lost potential earnings of 20 to 30 percent of annual household income.
For the families of those that die from the disease, there is the further loss of about 15 years of income because of the premature death of the TB sufferer.
Dr Shahina said treatment success rate is nearly 85 percent, where as case detection rate in the Saarc region is only 50 percent.
The conference was formally inaugurated by senior physician and a former Sindh Health Minister Dr S. M. Rab.
He said, despite significant progress in the field of medicines, particularly with the introduction of antibiotics, the disease is still not in control in Pakistan. Lack of research culture is causing this situation, Dr Rab added.
Additional Secretary, Sindh Health Department, Dr Iqbal Daudpota said about 80 percent of the 800,000 TB patients in the country are presently covered under DOTS, while in Sindh, the very coverage has almost reached to 100 percent.
He asked the physicians to help government in its efforts to contain all diseases including TB.
The conference was attended by chest specialists from all over Pakistan, Saarc region and other countries of the world including Professor Zafar Ali Syed, Dr Naim Agha, Dr Abdurab, R.M. Piryani, Fazli Maula, B.P. Rijal, president, Pakistan Chest Society & Director Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases, Professor Ashraf Sadiq, Dr Sadia, Dr Mussavir Ansari, chairman, Scientific Committee of the Conference, Dr I.S. Burki, Dr Zafaryab and Dr Nasir Hussein.