Domestic funding for TB control remains a mirage

Islamabad: The high-sounding achievements of the government notwithstanding, domestic investment for TB control continues to remain a mirage; missing TB cases still constitute a key threat; and inter-sectoral collaboration is yet to be concretised to the extent that would enable Pakistan to inch closer to its global end-TB commitments. While the bitter reality of TB control remains unaltered, World TB Day continues to provide an occasion – year after year – for the government to reiterate its past commitments and to glamourise its achievements in a tone that can easily be interpreted as implying that Pakistan is on the verge of becoming TB-free.

Monday’s seminar to commemorate World TB Day was no different. As a matter of fact, with the government’s days now numbered, the list of achievements certainly outnumbered the chronic challenges that have remained unaddressed in the last five years.

Speaking as chief guest, Minister for Health Saira Afzal said, “All resources will be mobilized to fight TB. We are strongly advocating for enhancing domestic investment in TB. I have taken up the matter with the Prime Minister and the provincial leaderships.” Lack of domestic resources for TB control is not a phenomenon that has surfaced this year; the problem has persisted long enough, with no plausible resource mobilization efforts in sight.