KARACHI, March 31: More than 80 per cent of TB patients consulting private health sector for diagnosis and management of tuberculosis. "Without involving this sector , Pakistan will not be able to control this single largest infectious killer of mankind", said AKU's Dr. Fayyaz Hussain at a seminar held on the occasion of World TB Day.

JPMC's Dr. Nadeem Rizvi said that poverty is the biggest enemy of mankind as thousands of patients die in Pakistan from TB every year because they cannot bear the cost of treatment for tuberculosis.

He said the government must follow the example of Bangladesh where 90 per cent of TB patients are provided free anti-TB drugs under a directly-observed treatment, short course strategy called DOTS.

NGOs and private sector should also come forward and help the government in its efforts to curb the epidemic in Pakistan, he added. Prof. Javaid A. Khan stressed the need for changes in the existing curriculum of TB in medical colleges.

Quoting researches conducted by the Pakistan Chest Society and AKU, he said only 5 per cent of fresh medical graduates could write the correct anti-TB drug prescription.

Speaking on growth in TB cases in Pakistani children, AKU's Dr. Naseeruddin Mahmood said most children get TB from adult patients and it is absolutely vital to treat each adult patient adequately to prevent the spread of TB among children.

Dr Nisar Rao said the stigma attached to TB in our society must be removed. "TB is a curable provided appropriate anti-TB treatment is taken for a period of six to eight months. Doctors must educate their patients to remove their fears about anti-TB medicines".

TB Programme Officer of WHO for Sindh, Dr. Amanullah Ansari, said the government is rapidly spreading DOTS in the province of Sindh and it is expected that by year 2005, this province will have 100 per cent DOTS facility at all its public health care outlets.

AKU's Dr. Rumina Hasan described multi-drug resistance TB (MDR) as a real threat to the entire country. "This type of TB does not respond to usual anti-TB drugs, and develops when patients fail to take appropriate treatment on a regular basis," she added.

She said although there are a number of labs in the major cities of Pakistan, there is no mechanism to ensure quality control in those labs. "Sputum microscopy remains the best test to diagnose lung TB," Dr. Rumina suggested.

Consultant Radiologist at AKU Dr. Tanveer-ul-Haque highlighted X-ray findings on TB and noted that X-ray alone was not enough to judge whether the disease is active or healed. - APP