TB's alarming surge

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Pakistan's longstanding battle with tuberculosis (TB) has taken a dire turn, with the country now ranking fifth globally in the number of TB cases and fourth in drug-resistant TB. In Sindh, the situation is becoming increasingly grim, with Baldia Town in Karachi emerging as a critical hotspot.

What makes this crisis even more tragic is that TB is a curable disease if diagnosed early and treated properly. However, a dangerous mix of public misinformation and premature discontinuation of antibiotics has allowed drug-resistant strains to thrive.

Newly mutated forms of TB are harder to treat and require the use of 'last line' medications. If resistance to even these critical drugs develops, Pakistan may face a public health catastrophe unlike any seen before. Systemic failures within Sindh's healthcare system make matters worse.

Many patients, especially those from low-income backgrounds, remain undiagnosed due to lack of access to diagnostic centres and treatment medication. It is imperative that the Sindh government, in collaboration with federal health bodies and international partners, adopt a multi-pronged response. First, TB testing must be made accessible and compulsory at the primary healthcare level, especially in known hotspots.

Mobile testing units and active case-finding campaigns can bridge the gap in underserved areas. Second, there must be strict regulation and monitoring of antibiotic prescriptions through digital tracking systems to prevent misuse. Equally important is the need for targeted awareness campaigns about symptoms and preventive measures and the importance of completing the full course of treatment.

Unless we strengthen surveillance and rebuild trust in our public health system, we will continue to lose our most vulnerable to a disease that is curable. The time for pilot projects and scattered interventions is over. A unified, aggressive campaign against TB in Sindh could mean the difference between life and death for thousands.