ONE may well mistake it for some other respiratory illness — even Covid-19 at a time when the pandemic still persists. But coughing, having difficulty in breathing, chest pain, weakness and fever are also the main symptoms of tuberculosis, which is spread through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or spits in close proximity. A person can become ill after inhaling only a few droplets. However, though people with strong immune systems can be infected not all fall ill. Those with weak immunity, comorbidities such as diabetes, and smokers are at higher risk. World TB Day that is observed every year on this day is an apt reminder of a ‘silent killer’ that continues to take thousands of lives across the globe, including in Pakistan. It is also described as a disease of the poor because it is more prevalent in countries where population densities are high and working and living conditions are subpar.

Tuberculosis is now considered the second most lethal infectious disease in the world after Covid-19. However, TB is both preventable and treatable. In 2020, some 1.5m people died of this disease globally. Two-thirds of these deaths were reported from eight countries — most of them in India, followed by China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and South Africa. As many as 600,000 cases are reported in Pakistan every year, out of which at least 27,000 are said to be of the multidrug-resistant variety. About 44,000 people die of the infection. The rise of MDR TB in Pakistan is a reflection of bad medical practices, poor disease surveillance and the state’s negligence towards the need for greater access to healthcare facilities — factors that mar the performance of the health sector. The prevalence of MDR TB also exposes the inadequate investment in the National TB Control Programme which has been unable to curb TB’s spread. The authorities need to invest politically, financially and administratively in efforts to eradicate a disease that continues to cut short a number of lives.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2022