KARACHI, Aug 10: The DOTS programme has been successfully carried out at the TB Clinic of the Sindh Government Hospital, New Karachi and at least 100 tuberculosis patients have been registered there.
The programme is managed with the assistance of the National TB Control Program and the World Health Organization. Patients suffering from TB are being provided free medicines at their door steps after registration under the supervision of a qualified local doctor or a woman health worker.
The hospital's medical superintendent, Dr Abdul Majid, on Tuesday said that the Clinic was inaugurated on Jan 26. "Around 30 new cases are being processed," he added. He said more than 250 clinical tests had so far been carried out at the hospital.
"If anyone is diagnosed to be suffering from the disease then his entire family are tested for the disease as they are often at risk of TB if the patient was treated at an earlier stage," he said.
"Patient compliance rate is 100 per cent once registered with the hospital. After the completion of the registration process, our doctor or a lady health worker visit the patient's home daily," he said, adding that 660 lady health workers - 180 from the North Karachi Town and 480 from the Gadap Town - had been hired.
Dr Abdul Majid said that the women health workers were serving in New Karachi, Surjani Town, Lasi Goth, Ayub Goth, Sohrab Goth and Manghopir areas. "They also encourage patients suffering from cough for more than two weeks to undergo a proper check up." The hospital's medical superintendent lauded the efforts of all women health workers as well as the doctors associated with the programme. -PPI
