KARACHI, Nov 20: The Sindh government under its Direct Observation Therapy Strategy (DOTS) for Tuberculosis Control has initially taken up six towns in Karachi to attain the goal of T.B. elimination, in collaboration with private sector.

The city towns to be catered under the medium-term plan of the programme include Keamari, Baldia, Saddar, Korangi, Bin Qasim and Gadap, where an alliance of all stakeholders is envisaged through NGOs and private sectors, sources told APP.

Private sector from Gadap and Bin Qasim towns has reportedly expressed their consent to assist the government in sharing the care delivery burden through the DOTS programme.

Meanwhile, a referral laboratory is also being strengthened at the Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases, Karachi, improving the facility for examination of sputum.

Under the arrangements being made through private sector, not only case detection through sputum testing and treatment using DOTS is expected to be offered, but there would also be provision for training, supervision, monitoring, establishment of a provincial referral laboratory besides printing of recording and reporting material.

Accordingly several meetings and workshops have been conducted at the federal and provincial levels with NGOs and private sectors with a view to sensitize them and develop a shared vision for combating the disease.

DOTS was stated to have an inbuilt system whereby the progress of the programme can be monitored and evaluated at any point in its implementation. The data could be checked and the patients’ cards, laboratory registers, district TB registers and quarterly reports expected to be consolidated during the mentioned quarter.

WHO was also said to have approved three research projects in Sindh aimed to provide good indication of the childhood prevalence, gender perspectives and role of the private sector in T.B. control. The programme implementation would be made in the light of the findings of the cited research projects.—APP