Experts call for effective measures to control TB

LAHORE

A seminar stressed the need to create awareness among the masses about tuberculosis (TB). 

According to speakers at the seminar, TB is increasing with the passage of time and it is transmitted to people through germs. Effective measures should be taken to control the disease, which could be diagnosed at any TB centre in Pakistan. 

The seminar ‘First TB Health and Sports Festival for World TB Day 2017’ was jointly organised by TB Control Programme and the Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (MKRMS) of Jang Group of Newspapers. 

Chief guest Ambreen Sagheer, Principal Home Economics College Lahore, guest of Honours Dr Nayyar, Programme Manager Association for Social Development, Dr Zarfashan Tahir, Director TB Control Programme Punjab, Health, Education and Current Affairs Senior Editor Wasif Nagi, Maheen Waqar, Alia Hassan and others participated in the seminar. 

Dr Zarfashan Tahir said the purpose of observing TB Day was to create awareness among the masses. “People need to know about the disease. What is TB? How a patient can be cured? What are the precautionary measurements? To create awareness, TB Health and Sports festival was conducted. Father of Nation Quaid-e-Azam was a patient of TB,” she said at the seminar. 

She said TB treatment is free everywhere. Symptoms of TB are coughing that lasts three or more weeks, chest pain, or pain with breathing or coughing, night sweats and loss of appetite, she shared. 

Zubair Ahmad said awareness among people about TB was conducted in the festival. A joint work is very necessary to end TB and we want to end it till 2030. Dr Ambreen Sagherer said: “We will rescue TB patients from TB”. 

Dr Nayyar said it is a common belief that hepatitis B and C spreads because of contaminated water, but the reality is this that the disease spreads because of blood. 

Wasif Nagi said TB is increasing in the country because of poverty, unhealthy food and insanitation. He demanded the government include the disease in the syllabus to give people information about the disease. 

Alia Hassan talked about reasons and symptoms of TB. Maheen Waqar said a balanced diet can save people from TB. Students participated in a flowers’ competition. Areej Naveed got 1st position, Khadeeja and Mahrukh secured second and Amina got third position. A music contest was held. Imamia Fazal stood first, Qudsia secured second position, and Tamseel Fatmia got third position.