KARACHI, Feb 21: An international mission is scheduled to arrive here to review the TB-DOTS programme in Sindh with main focus on the quality of TB-DOTS services for local patients.

The mission, to be headed by Dr Akihiro Seita, Regional Adviser of the WHO/EMRO, would also evaluate steps taken for initiating public-private partnerships and making efforts towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) pertaining to TB control. It will give a briefing to the Sindh Health Secretary, Prof Naushad Sheikh, in a wrap-up meeting on Thursday.

Linkages developed by the National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTCP) with other national programmes and initiatives such as HIV/AIDS, nutrition, maternal and neonatal health and National Programme on Family Planning and Primary Health Care would also be reviewed by the mission.

In conformity with the previous practice, the review mission will have the participation of high-level officials from a number of development partners of the NTCP that include WHO, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, USAID, JICA Association for Social Development, CIDA, DFID, European Union, GLRA, RPM Plus, Mercy Corps International, GTZ and the World Bank.

The NTCP has selected a few districts, including Karachi and Larkana, from each province to be reviewed by the mission. In Sindh, where universal DOTS coverage was achieved in November 2003, the provincial directorate of the Tuberculosis Control is in the process of eliminating the micro-problems in the filed.

The macro-indicators are, however, quite encouraging, particularly in comparison with the other provinces. Nevertheless, there is a need to consolidate the programme at all levels by addressing all governance and conceptual bottlenecks.

Sources associated with the Sindh TB Control Programme told APP that a total of 30,325 cases of all types of tuberculosis had been detected in the province out of which 11,980 were smear positive, that of those who can transmit the disease to others.

In Karachi, a total of 7,748 TB cases, including 3,449 smear positive, were detected. Thus the overall case detection rate in the province was recorded at 49 per cent and that of smear positive at was 43 per cent.

The December 2005 target for case detection has been set at 70 per cent which seems quite practicable in most districts of Sindh. However, special inputs are required for Karachi in order to develop a role model for urban DOTS and achieve the required targets.

According to concerned sources the sputum conversion rate during the past year stood at 82 per cent and needs to be enhanced. The treatment success rate was 76 per cent which would be increased to 85 per cent as soon as possible, and definitely by the end of the year.

Need for reducing the default rate through innovative methods and documenting the progress of the patients who are transferred to other diagnostic centres is generally recommended.

The international mission to visit Sindh would also include Dr Noor Ahmed of the NTP/WHO, Dr Sang Jae Kim of IUATLD, Dr Abrar Ahmed of JICA, Dr Hayakawa of JICA, Afghanistan, Dr Arif Noor of Mercy Corps International and Dr. Naseer Nizamani of the Family Health International. -APP