November 04, 2008	Tuesday	Ziqa'ad 5, 1429

HYDERABAD, Nov 3: Improved health facilities have helped the Sindh government in achieving 87 per cent success in tuberculosis cases as against 85 per cent target, said Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed.

He said this during the handing over ceremony of vehicles to district TB control (DTC) officers at Sir C.J. Cowasjee Institute of Psychiatry, Hussainabad on Monday. Keys of 23 vans were handed over during the ceremony.

Poverty and environmental conditions have infected some 30,000 patients with the TB virus, while claiming thousands of lives annually, he said.

In Sindh only, around 1,32,000 were reportedly infected out of which 87 per cent have been completely cured of the TB virus with the remaining either irregularly treated or died for not receiving the treatment.

The government has established some 1,185 diagnostic centres for the treatment of disease of which 265 are in Sindh with 14 such centres in Hyderabad only, he said.

The targeted reduction of the TB cases by 2015 has been set at 50 per cent with an aim to completely eradicate this menace in collaboration with national and international institutes completely, the minister said adding that the disease can be cured with the commitment and cooperation of patients and their families.

Unawareness or poverty hampers the treatment for which doctors, NGOs and health organisations should extend help by creating awareness and telling the patients of free of cost treatments available at the government-run hospitals and centres, he said.

Earlier, Director Sindh TB Control Programme, Dr Ismat Ara said that the provision of vehicles would enable the organisation to work independently and help in the inspection of working.

Medical Superintendent, Sir C.J. Hospital, Dr Akbar Memon stressed the need for creating awareness among the masses about TB prevalence. He also cautioned against mental diseases. He said that Sir C.J. Hospital was providing mental health services and had remained over-burdened and needed the attention of the government.

WORKSHOP: Women constitute a little less than 50 per cent of the population but their contribution to nation building services is yet to be acknowledged, said Pakistan Workers Federation leader Abdul Latif Nizamani.

This was inspite of the fact that women work in fields, private and government organisations in addition to managing affairs of homes, tending to spouses, children and, in many cases their in-laws, he said.

He said this during the inaugural session of a three-day training workshop for women organised by the Pakistan Workers Federation at the Labour Hall. He said women’s quantum of work is more than males’.

He said that the price hike and unemployment have made the lives of people miserable adding the prevailing situation would seriously impact the education of workers’ children.