KARACHI, March 28: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major challenge to healthcare and almost a third of the population of the world is infected with tuberculosis bacilli. This was stated by Prof Rasheed Juma, Executive Director, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, in his welcome address at a seminar on TB organized by the Pakistan Chest Society, Sindh, in collaboration with Department of Pulmonary Medicine, JPMC, to observe World TB Day.

He said in Pakistan 181 cases per 100,000 are added annually to the pool of tuberculosis sufferers. National TB control programme of Pakistan is implementing DOTS strategy for the control of the disease.

Dr Nadeem Rizvi, Head of the Department of Chest Medicine, JPMC, said it is very important that every doctor familiarize himself with new approaches in the management of TB. Although guidelines are available for the management of the disease, there are situations where TB is being wrongly diagnosed.

Dr Ali Raza of Liaquat National Hospital said certain complications of TB and extra pulmonary tuberculosis required surgical interventions.