Consultative workshop: ‘G-B health dept lacks will to fight TB’
TB programme official says lack of trained doctors contributing factor.
TB programme official says lack of trained doctors contributing factor.
GILGIT:
There are many factors hindering efforts to eradicate tuberculosis (TB) from Gilgit-Baltistan, but the health department’s disinterest is the most serious among them.
Dr Mubeen Khan, a programme manager in the National TB Control Programme stated this while addressing a consultative workshop with journalists held at a local hotel here on Saturday. More than two dozen senior journalists of G-B attended the workshop.
Khan said TB has been declared a “Global emergency” due to its lethal impacts on the society, but the disease is not given priority in Pakistan, which stands sixth among the 22 TB-hit countries. A TB-infected patient can spread the disease among 20 others in just one year if not treated, he explained. Moreover, the cost to treat one patient infected by TB is around Rs10,000, he added.
Khan lamented that the G-B health department does not even have proper data on the total number of patients afflicted by TB in the region.
Meanwhile, the lack of trained doctors in G-B is making the problem worse, he said.
“The government must take concrete measures if it wants to do away with the disease,” he added.
The programme manager said currently there are 22 TB centres operating in G-B, while 29 more will be set up soon. He said the difficult terrain, coupled with poor law and order situation, is also hindering efforts to eradication TB from the region.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 30th, 2012.
There are many factors hindering efforts to eradicate tuberculosis (TB) from Gilgit-Baltistan, but the health department’s disinterest is the most serious among them.
Dr Mubeen Khan, a programme manager in the National TB Control Programme stated this while addressing a consultative workshop with journalists held at a local hotel here on Saturday. More than two dozen senior journalists of G-B attended the workshop.
Khan said TB has been declared a “Global emergency” due to its lethal impacts on the society, but the disease is not given priority in Pakistan, which stands sixth among the 22 TB-hit countries. A TB-infected patient can spread the disease among 20 others in just one year if not treated, he explained. Moreover, the cost to treat one patient infected by TB is around Rs10,000, he added.
Khan lamented that the G-B health department does not even have proper data on the total number of patients afflicted by TB in the region.
Meanwhile, the lack of trained doctors in G-B is making the problem worse, he said.
“The government must take concrete measures if it wants to do away with the disease,” he added.
The programme manager said currently there are 22 TB centres operating in G-B, while 29 more will be set up soon. He said the difficult terrain, coupled with poor law and order situation, is also hindering efforts to eradication TB from the region.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 30th, 2012.