QUETTA: About 24,000 people are suffering from Tuberculosis in Balochistan, said Dr Ghulam Mustafa Shah, manager of the TB Control Programme in the province.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, he said the disease was spreading fast in the province and stressed the need for creating awareness about it. Several doctors were present on the occasion.

In Balochistan, Dr Shah pointed out, 276 people out of every 100,000 were suffering from Tuberculosis.

He said TB patients coming to Balochistan from abroad were the major cause of its spread in the province. Afghan refugees coming to Balochistan and Pakistani TB patients returning from Iran, Afghanistan, Qatar and other Gulf countries were the main contributors, he added.

Dr Shah said that Balochistan TB Control Programme would soon launch an awareness campaign in 30 districts of the province about the dangers of the disease.

Dr Farhan Anjum said that lack of hygienic environment was also one of the key factors behind the spread of TB in Balochistan.