KARACHI:Pro Vice Chancellor of Dow University of Health Sciences Prof Mohammad Masroor has indicated that the annual death rate caused by TB has significantly declined from 68 to 27 percent.
He said while speaking at the seminar conducted by Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases after the awareness walk on World TB Day. At the seminar, Head of Ojha Institute of Chest Disease, Prof Nisar Ahmed Rao, Director Sindh TB Control Miss Ismat Ara Khursheed, representative of Bridge NGO, Miss Shaheena Qayyum, Dr Saifullah and Dr Nadeem Ahmed also addressed the event.
The walk was led by Pro-Vice Chancellor, Prof Mohammad Masroor from Ojha Institute of Chest Diseases to Dow International Medical College. Prof Mohammad Masroor added that a patient infected from TB may transmit the disease in 8 to 10 uninfected people. This disease can mainly be transmitted through coughing or sneezing and most importantly, the first ones to get infected are those in their family and close relation.
He further said that it is true that 25 percent of the patients have latent TB i.e. they are infected by the TB bacteria but they are not infectious, still, they need treatment to completely eliminate this bacteria from their body. The treatment of TB is not only the responsibility of the patient or the doctor; this is the collective responsibility of the society to create awareness in the local public.
Director of Ojha Institute of Chest Disease, Dr Nisar Rao said that there had been more than 2 lac patients who registered last year at the TB hospital. There are 5 other hospitals where free treatment is provided.
Other speakers revealed that approximately 4500 people gets infected from TB daily and 1.6 million people have died of this disease till yet. According to reports, approximately 5 lac people have been infected from Tuberculosis every year in Pakistan. We have to reduce this number and for that we have to create and conduct awareness sessions. The treatment of this disease is at least 6 months and at most 2 years.
The seminar was ended with the distribution of certificates and gifts to the 26 people serving in the institute since years. These are the people who are filled with the actual feeling of humanity and, despite knowing that this disease can be transmitted through coughs and sneezes, they still serve the TB patients wholeheartedly.