75,000 TB patients treated in Balochistan in last 18 years, says official

Manager of TB control programme says disease remains endemic

QUETTA: Health authorities in Balochistan have provided free treatment to over 75,000 patients since 1998 under its tuberculosis (TB) control programme.

Speaking to the media on Saturday, the health department’s programme manager Dr Aminullah Baloch said 2015 remained the best year in terms of the TB control. “Under the TB control programme, 8,610 patients were diagnosed and treated in 2015,” he said.



Citing results of a survey in 2012, Dr Amin said more than 25,000 people were diagnosed with TB in Balochistan whereas 35,000 was the average number of patients diagnosed with TB each year in the province. Across the country, more than 450,000 people fall prey to tuberculosis each year.

The centre and the provincial government has partnered with international organisations to make TB treatment affordable to the masses.

The free treatment offered to patients is nowhere lacking in quality, Dr Amin said. “People registered with the provincial TB control programme get free medicines of renowned multinational companies and free facilities at Fatima Jinnah TB Sanatorium, Quetta, and DHQ Loralai Hospital,” he said.

“In addition to treatment and medicines, the provincial government provides travelling allowance to TB patients coming from far off places in Balochistan,” he said.

Moreover, under the TB control programme 110 centres have been established in 30 districts of the province where free treatment is provided to the patients, Dr Amin said.



“TB control programme is running in collaboration of private sector in 11 districts and under Public Private Health Initiative (PPHI) clinics,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 20^th, 2016.