LARKANA, March 30: Cases of tuberculosis are increasing in the district where detection rate has swelled up even after the start of directly-observed treatment short course (DOTS) programme. Talking to Dawn here on Tuesday, the deputy director of the Provincial TB Control Programme, Dr Abdul Karim Shaikh, said about 65 TB treatment centres had been established in the district under the DOTS programme and 82 trained doctors team was involved in carrying out the plan.

The detection rate of new positive TB cases was 16 per cent in 2003 when population of the undivided district was 2.2 million and at present it had increased to 56 per cent, he said.

He said the new cases surfaced only after trained doctors and paramedics were sent to peripheries of the district and free distribution of medicines was begun under DOTS. “Though we are achieving good success rate that had increased from 58 per cent to 82 per cent from the first quarter of year 2004 to quarter four of the year 2004” he said.

“We have to cover the default rate which badly needs consultation so that TB patients must continue their treatment till full recovery” he said. TB expert Dr Muzaffar Khoharo stressed the need for training more and more GPs because a majority of the TB cases preferred to visit them instead of going to DOTS centres in hospitals.

MEDICAL CAMP: The Society for the Protection of Child Rights on Tuesday organized a skin disease camp in the central prison.

A team of doctors, Dr Muzaffar Shaikh and Dr Anil Kumar, examined around 400 patients in the jail and provided them medicines donated by the Child Rights Centre. Doctors said most of the prisoners were found infected with scabies and contact eczema because of overcrowded jail population.

The focal person of SPARC, Larkana, Mukhtiar Samoo, said the organization would provide medicines to prisoners regularly keeping emphasis on treating juvenile prisoners in the central prison. At present, 48 juvenile prisoners are lodged in the central prison. Mr Samoo said the SPARC would contact the education department for introducing education inside the jail.