PESHAWAR, Feb 15: Annually 40,000 people in the NWFP become new patients of tuberculosis, and the establishment reference laboratory would be helpful in diagnosis of TB patients, prove to be helpful in reviewing drug resistance being developed during the treatment of the disease.

This was underlined on the occasion of NWFP TB Reference Laboratory inauguration at the Satellite Hospital here on Tuesday. Addressing the gathering, the health secretary said that it was hard to eradicate the disease from the province, and at the same time expressed hope that gradually the provincial TB Control Programme would achieve its goal of a tuberculosis-free society.

Mr Samad further said that the setting of a reference laboratory would mitigate patients’ miseries, adding that in the past they were supposed to wait for months as their sputum were being sent to Karachi or Lahore for diagnosis.

The provincial health secretary at the same time recalled that in the past the patients were being charged for sputum tests and now they would be provided free diagnostic facilities at the centre.

He also talked about the role of the TB Control Programme, informing that in 2002 there were only 11 treatment centres in the NWFP, but now 163 centres were providing free treatment facilities to poor and needy patients. In every district a medical officer has been appointed as district TB control officer and they not only provide treatment facilities but also refer chronic patients to Peshawar for a proper medical examination and treatment.

Dr Sami Yousuf of the GTZ said that the German government’s pledge of extending both financial and technical support to the TB eradication programme was being managed under the Directly Observed Short Course, which was also known as DOTS.

He said: “The main objective of the assistance was to support DOTS to eradicate the disease from the province. It is being headed by Dr Abdul Ghafoor. The programme has been effective and is on the right track to achieve its goal.”

He claimed that the establishment of the reference laboratory would boost the TB control programme and it would soon wipe out the disease from the NWFP and its adjoining tribal belt.

He informed participants about the treatment facilities available for earthquake survivors, and claimed that with the support health department they had set up dozens of service-providing centres, and all incoming patients were being provided free diagnostic and treatment facilities.

Provincial TB Control Programme Manager Dr Ghafoor lauded the role of the media in the eradication of diseases. He said that like other stakeholders the media had been very supportive in educating the masses about the treatment of the disease and how one could protect oneself against the disease.

He said their efforts against controlling TB would continue.

Briefing participants about the networking of the TB Control Programme, he said that after every three months it was reviewed and all mistakes were addressed.