Awareness programme on TB control held in Tank

TANK: An awareness programme was organised by the TB Control Programme Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at Sub-Jail Tank where the participants were briefed on TB treatment and its prevention.

Dr Irfan Khattak of the TB Control Programme addressed the event, which was also attended by Sub-Jail Superintendent Amjad, jail staff and civil society activists. Dr Irfan Khattak said that TB is a contagious disease that spreads from one person to another. “The TB germs directly affect the human lungs. And through coughing, the virus is transmitted to healthy people and causes them the disease,” he added.

TB can also affect other parts of the body, besides the lungs, he said, adding that TB is caused by coughing, sneezing or spitting as the germs are transmitted to healthy people through the air. Cough lasting two consecutive weeks or more, fever, sweating, loss of appetite and weight loss are the early symptoms of TB. Only timely diagnosis and effective treatment can eradicate TB, he said.