PESHAWAR, Aug 28: NWFP Health Minister Inayatullah has asked the authorities concerned to collect data of multi-drug resistant TB patients so that a mechanism could be evolved to offer them free treatment.

He was presiding over a meeting convened here on Saturday to discuss strategy to control tuberculosis in the province, said a handout.

Briefing the meeting about the efforts taken for prevention and treatment of tuberculosis, provincial TB control programme manager Dr Abdul Ghafoor said that drugs worth Rs21 million had been provided to all districts.

Free treatment facilities for TB patients already existed in 17 districts while the rest of the seven districts would be extended the facility by the end of the year.

"one hundred per cent DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Short course) coverage will be available in the province by next year," said the programme manager.

He said that 9,662 TB patients were provided with free medicine during the current year and added that the number would be enhanced to 20,000 by December.

The meeting was briefed that apart from increasing the number of TB diagnostic centres to 200 in the province by the end of the year, two centres of excellence would also be set up for the treatment of multi-drug resistant patients.

It was informed that the provincial TB control programme had achieved success in creating awareness and providing treatment facilities.

The GTZ consultant for TB control, Dr Sami Yousaf, highlighted the efforts of the German government for strengthening of the TB control programme in the NWFP and federally administered tribal areas.

The minister asked the authorities to ensure wide publicity of the free TB treatment facilities so that maximum number of patients could benefit from it. He stressed the need for coordination among various health organizations to combat the disease effectively.

He also called for involving religious circles in the TB control drive.