World TB day: TB fatalities rising: expert

Despite improvement in treatment facilities, fatalities from tuberculosis continue to rise in Pakistan.

KARACHI: While the quality of care for tuberculosis (TB) patients has improved dramatically in Pakistan, the number of people dying from the disease continues to rise alarmingly, said Dr Naseem Salahuddin, head of the Infectious Diseases Society at Indus Hospital. Salahuddin was speaking at a programme organised by the hospital on Thursday.

She pointed to the emergence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB in Pakistan. An issue, she said, that needs to be addressed before the disease escalates out of control.

The programme also featured special performances on TB prevention and control by children studying in mobile schools operated by the Citizens Education Development Foundation.

Fitness and alternative therapy expert Yogi Wajahat also spoke at the event.  He called for all key stake-holders in health-care to play their role by finding ways to prevent, control and treat TB effectively.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2011.