World TB Day observed across city

Karachi
Several awareness activities, including seminars and walks, were held by different organisations and hospitals and organizations on Tuesday to commemorate the ‘World TB Day’ observed globally on March 24.
Expert speakers at the events highlighted the threat posed by the primordial but lethal disease and lamented the fact that TB was still claiming hundreds of lives.
The Sindh Government Hospital in Korangi held an awareness seminar and walk to highlight the threats posed by TB and experts urged people to approach hospitals for early diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis.
Tuberculosis remains one of the biggest health problems of developing countries with a significant population being affected by this infectious and debilitating disease. Over 9 million new cases are reported annually worldwide, with a mortality rate of 15,00,000 each year. In Pakistan, more than 500,000 patients were diagnosed with TB last year.
Similarly, the day was observed at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation in collaboration with the National TB Programme and College of Family Medicine Pakistan.
On the occasion, SIUT Director Prof Adib Rizvi said greater awareness among the people regarding diseases such as TB was a focal aim. Prof Sohail Akhtar informed that Pakistan is amongst the 22 countries that bear 80 percent of the global TB disease burden.
Dr Asma Nasim of the SIUT’s Department of Infectious Diseases, said the basic aim of organising the event was to raise mass awareness about TB in terms of its signs and symptoms.