KARACHI: Concerted efforts are needed to reduce the current tuberculosis (TB) treatment duration of six months to a month or two in order to prevent non compliance among a significant number of patients in the country.
Pulmonary specialists told APP on Thursday that a focused strategy is needed to achieve the goal of TB eradication in Pakistan. The theme for World Tuberculosis Day 2011 is 'On the Move Against Tuberculosis -Innovate to Accelerate Achievement'.
Poor compliance to drug course among patients, who often consider initial improvement in their health as recovery from the disease, not only leads to drug resistance among them but also enhances risks for severe strain of infection among non TB population.
"We have to review our TB Control and Elimination strategy as it is high time to protect our healthy and TB free population," said Dr. Nadim Rizvi, Head of Chest Medicine Department, Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center.
Dr. Rizvi also recommended simple diagnostic modes for timely identification of the disease leading to early and proper medical intervention. "Low grade temperature and cough that persists for more than a week must not be ignored," said Dr. Rizvi. He also identified an unexplainable loss of weight as a warning sign that should not be overlooked.
Concurring with his statement, Dr. Shaheena Qayyum, associated with community based TB treatment program of Dow University of Health Sciences, said that awareness has to be created among the masses as well as general medical practitioners about the symptoms of the disease.
The two doctors agreed that the role of family physicians or general practitioners is extremely crucial as they cater to the medical needs of 60 percent of the population.
"Their inability to properly communicate with the patients and make timely diagnosis often turns the case difficult," said Dr. Qayyum. In reply to a question, she said, "TB is 100 percent curable and inability to diagnose and treat patients’ amounts to criminal negligence. Moreover, patients could also be pushed towards the quacks if the medical practitioners are unable to deliver on time. We emphasise that people in general must also be sensitised about the symptoms, causes and treatment duration of the ailment."
The two doctors also suggested that location of TB treatment centers run under the National TB Control Program must also be properly highlighted helping patients to reach there and get free treatment.
Meanwhile, Dr Rizvi strongly dispelled the impression that TB had ever been controlled and the country may currently be witnessing its recurrence. "The TB bacterium is here for decades and continues to affect our children and elderly as well as youth in prime of their productive years. It is our national obligation to protect people against TB and pave way for a healthy and developed country," he added.
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