PM to announce emergency plan for TB control on Friday

ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Saira Afzal Tarar Wednesday apprised the Senate that Prime Minister Khaqan Abbasi would announce an emergency plan for tuberculosis (TB) control on Friday.

Replying to various supplementary questions during the Question Hour, the minister said TB was a major public health issue in the world and one of the top killers globally. Pakistan ranked 5th in the list of high burden countries after India, China, Indonesia and Philippines, she added.

The minister said in 2016, 268 out of 100,000 people suffered from TB and that incidence rate was declining @1.5% every year as a result of the efforts of TB programme.

She said tuberculosis case notification had increased during the last few years as a result of expansion in network of TB care facilities and engagement of the private sector.

The minister said it was important to understand that TB cases were already there in the community. "We need to find these cases and put them on appropriate treatment."

She said the National Strategic Plan had been developed to detect 85% of the TB cases by 2020 and treat 90% of them.

She said TB was not fast spreading in the country. However, TB cases already present in the population were being diagnosed and treated, which indicated the programme's success, she added.

The minister said medicines were being provided free of charge to all TB patients, who had access the its treatment facilities across the country.

To another question, Saira said Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM & DC) had received 408 complaints during the last five years.