KARACHI, March 27: Growing reservations are being expressed regarding the efficacy of vaccines administered under the Expanded Programme of Immunization in the country.

The situation turns all the more glaring with particular reference to BCG as a majority of kids reporting with tuberculosis at local hospitals were found to be those immunized against the ailment at one or the other point of their lives.

At the TB Clinic, Paediatrics Ward (Unit-I), Civil Hospital, Karachi, 66 per cent of some 400 children registered with the disease during last two years, were found to be those administered with BCG. They yet developed the infection and were often brought with serious complications.

Prof. D. S. Akram, Head of the Paediatrics Unit-I, CHK addressing a programme organized to observe TB day at the OPD, Paediatrics of the Unit, here on Wednesday mentioned that delayed diagnosis of local children inflicted with TB is further complicating the situation.

While reminding the programme participants, largely comprising parents of TB patients, aged between two to 12 years, the basic three symptoms of TB also forced them to approach the relevant treatment centres instead of seeking assistance of general medical practitioners for long durations.

The seasoned doctor reminded that inadequate treatment or even discontinuity of standardised TB treatment has lead to drug resistance as well as relapse of the disease itself among the patients with increased risk to effect other members of the very family as well as community.

Dr. Fehmina Arif of the TB Clinic, expressing her gratitude to The Reformers for their support to the clinic during the last two years, said that while there exist no dearth of required drugs or qualified staff, masses in general are yet to be sensitized that TB can be cured through strict compliance to prescribed regimen, which has also been standardised under DOTS strategy.

She said that 75 per cent of all children visiting the clinic are those effected with Pulmonary TB, 250 of the patients have received complete course, during last two years, while 150 are under-treatment. Follow-up rate, she said, is 90 per cent.

Dr. Fehmina also referred to national scenario where 250,000 new cases of TB are added to the list every year, this is despite the fact that only one out of five new cases is ever detected.

The TB Clinic is operating at the Paediatrics Unit-I of CHK for the last 12 years, she said, adding it is also visited by child patients from interior of Sindh also.

Nazim Haji, Chief Coordinator of The Reformers, mentioning that TB is directly linked to poverty, said while efforts must be made to create massive public awareness regarding preventive aspect of the disease, due attention is also needed to be extended towards its cure.

Dr. Naushad Sheikh, MS Civil Hospital, Karachi, referred to National Tuberculosis Programme initiated in the country with the aim of eliminating the disease by 2005.

According to him, equal responsibility lies on the society to help achieve the goal.—APP