PESHAWAR, March 24: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has said that tuberculosis is no longer an incurable disease, and that the government has launched a crusade against the ailment by providing free diagnostic as well as treatment facilities to the patients.

"Every effort is being made to make the province TB-free," said the chief minister while addressing a seminar held to mark International TB Day here at Radio Pakistan Auditorium, on Wednesday.

Health Minister Inayatullah Khan, District Nazim Azam Khan Afridi, Naib Nazim Dr Iqbal Khalil and representative of the NGOs spoke on the occasion. Mr Durrani said that TB had been brought under control to a great extent, adding that in the past, fatal diseases were common which caused hundreds of deaths but owing to the strenuous efforts of health department, these diseases had been eliminated. The same spirit is needed for the elimination of polio, hepatitis and TB, he added.

The chief minister said the TB patients should not be isolated rather they should be persuaded to have free treatment in government hospitals. He said the purpose of observing international days should be to give practical shape to ideas rather than collecting facts and figures.

He said it was the need of the hour to spread awareness among the people concerning the disease and its easy cure. He also pointed out that the recent polio campaign, where the government had involved government machinery and got encouraging results.