Due to lacking proper diet, and neat and clean environment, the disease of tuberculosis (TB) is on the rise among women, particularly, residing in congested and walled areas as more and more TB cases are being reported to different city hospitals.
This was revealed at a meeting of 'Stop TB DoTS' committee held under the chairmanship of advisor to Chief Minister Qaiser Amin Butt here on Monday.
'Stop TB DoTS' committee has recently been formed with the objective to eliminate TB disease by ensuring medicines intake by TB patients till the elimination of disease.
Punjab TB programme chief Dr Darkhshaan Badr was the chief guest, while among others Dr Yasir, Dr Naeem, Anwar Chaudhry, Nawazish Ali, Dr Gulzar Hussain, Dr Nasir Mahmood Bhatti spoke on the occasion.
They were of the view due to stigma attached with the disease of TB; a large number of TB cases still remained undetected. They called for creating awareness among people about the necessity for provision of neat and clean environment to check the spread of disease.
Giving an overview of the disease, Government Nawaz Sharif Hospital Lahore Medical Superintendent Dr Nasir Mahmood Bhatti maintained that TB was the most common infection and one of the leading causes of deaths.
HIV/TB co-infection has caused TB rates soaring in many countries, and the danger posed by that spread was compounded by the appearance of drug-resistant strains.
About DoTS, he said it was an internationally approved treatment strategy for TB because it was the most effective means of administering treatment, curing patients, reducing transmission and preventing the development of drug resistance. He stated his hospital was implementing DoTS for eradication of disease from the area.
Government Fatima Jinnah College Principal Shama and Vice-Principal Dr Mrs Akhtar vowed to play their due role for the eradication of TB disease. They said they would arrange special awareness programmes at the college so as to apprise the girl students about symptoms and mode of treatment of TB.
Punjab TB programme head Dr Darkhshaan Badr said on the occasion tuberculosis was a contributing factor in more than 30 per cent of patients seeking medical treatment for infertility.
Pakistan, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), is the fifth leading country in terms of its tuberculosis population. We are also home to 44 per cent of TB cases in the entire eastern Mediterranean region, she added.
She expressed satisfaction over DoTS coverage for TB patients. Only specialised medical doctors could provide effective therapy against tuberculosis with DoTS being the methodology, she said.
The participants of the meeting also vowed to launch an awareness drive among the people of walled area for the elimination of TB by creating neat and clean environment.
Advisor to the Chief Minister Qaiser Amin Butt said on the occasion government was attaching priority to health sector and carrying out various reforms for providing quality health facilities to the people.