‘TB patients being treated free-of-cost’

LAHORE: Punjab TB Control Programme (PTP) Provincial Director Dr Zarfishan Tahir has said NGOs working with PTP as partners should intensify their efforts and work with more coordination for surfacing missing TB patients, their registration and treatment. She said government was providing all facilitates for diagnoses and treatment of TB patients free of cost. She was presiding over partner's day meeting at the office of Pakistan Anti TB Association (PATA) on Wednesday. The meeting reviewed the performance and achievements of partner NGOs of Punjab TB Control Programme. The meeting also discussed future strategy.

Punjab TB Control Programme Additional Director Dr Asif, Dr Usman, Dr Jaweria, Zubair Ahmad Shad, PATA President Ch Manzoor and representative of partner NGOs attended the meeting. All the participants gave detailed presentations about their performance for TB control activities, searching of missing TB patients and sensitising people about the disease.

Dr Zarfishan stressed the need of efficient use of resources provided by the government. She said the screening vans should be used for reaching hard areas for screening of new or missing TB patients. She observed that in urban areas all the modern treatment facilities were available in hospitals. She said latest gene expert machines have been provided in the hospitals and the digital x-ray has already there.

The director sad as per directions of Punjab Minister Health Dr. Yasmeen Rashid, HIV tests of TB patients were also being conducted and so far 80,000 of TB patients have been screened. Zubair Ahmad said it was mandatory for private practitioners and clinicians to provide data of TB patients to PTP if any suspected or confirmed TB patient visits their clinic.