LAHORE, March 23: One person in the world is contracting tuberculosis after every 20 seconds and nearly 250,000 people in Pakistan contract lung TB every year.

Speaking at a meeting held under the Tuberculosis Free Punjab Programme at the General Hospital here on Sunday, LGH Medical Superintendent Dr Omar Farooq Baloch said TB considered the deadliest disease in the 19th century was spreading all over the world once again. Medicines were developed for successful treatment of the disease and patients should get them registered with the programme for free treatment.

He said certain human habits and socio-economic problems contributed to the spread of TB. Poor residents of katchi abadis around dirty water ponds deprived of sanitation, medical treatment and healthy diet were exposed to threat of TB. Men and women addicted to smoking could suffer from lung cancer, he said.

TB Dots Programme representative Zakia Siddiq said that TB patients were required to continue treatment for eight months. The disease could return more intensely among the patients failing to take medicines regularly or leaving treatment incomplete. She said TB could affect any organ but most of the patients suffered from lung tuberculosis.

The patients should be advised to spit in a utensil with lime powder to prevent the spread of the disease. Mothers suffering from TB could continue breast feeding of their children without fear of transmission of disease.

TB Dots Programme In Charge in Lahore General Hospital Dr Muhammad Ali said that a survey was in progress in union councils 134, 135,136 and 137 for the registration of TB patients.