ISLAMABAD, Aug 17: The government is planning to launch a social mobilization campaign to remove stigma attached to tuberculosis (TB) and to familiarize general practitioners in the private sector with correct treatment regimes.

The information was shared at the concluding session of an inter-provincial meeting on achieving 100 per cent DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course Strategy) coverage in the country. The meeting was held at the Health Services Academy on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, Health Minister Mohammad Nasir Khan said the government was not fighting against tuberculosis (TB) alone but also against time to meet regional targets set for the year 2005 to achieve 100 per cent coverage in all four provinces by providing DOTS diagnostic and treatment facilities with free medication.

Targets for 2010 and 2015 requires reducing TB cases by 10 per cent and 50 per cent, respectively.

At present, Pakistan is ranked sixth among countries with the highest burden of TB that constituted around 44 per cent of TB burden in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) of the World Health Organization (WHO). Globally TB has affected approximately 8.5 million people.

“I am confident that we will achieve set targets on time though we have already achieved DOTS in the public sector,” the minister said.

In 2001, the government had declared TB a national emergency and had initiated the National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTP) for overall coordination, formulating policies and strategic planning, providing technical support and communication with partners as well as research.

The provincial/regional TB control programmes (PTPs) under their respective departments of health are responsible for coordinating and planning, implementing, managing and financing the TB control activities within their areas.

The NTP has adopted the internationally accepted DOTS method to combat this disease.