TB Seminar
To mark the World TB Day 2009, Pakistan Chest Society Sindh in collaboration with Department of Chest Medicine, Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre (JPMC) Karachi, arranged a seminar on Tuberculosis at JPMC. The seminar was attended by a large number of doctors.
Prof. Mussarat Hussain, Executive Director, JPMC speaking as a chief guest
on the occasion said that the World TB Day is actually meant to inculcate in the masses, the patients and their families members to tackle the disease. The World TB Day is not restricted to doctors, nurse and para-medics. There are lots of people indentified as pre medical people. They are inculcated to give their decision which is extremely important.
Tuberculosis is a health hazard which is with humanity from pre historic era. This disease can involve any part of the body from head to toe. This is the disease of every socio economic strata and it spreads through air so the TB bug can reach any one who breathes. It affects the economy especially in countries like Pakistan where most of the sufferers are in the prime years of their life.
The Millennium Develop-ment Goal (MGD) has set the target toward elimination of the disease but it can only be achieved if every member of the community contributes towards stopping TB. This disease is prevalent in 263 in 100,000 Pakistanis and every year 181 in 100,000 are added to this pool.
Dr. Nadeem Rizvi, Head Department of Chest Medi-cine, Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre Karachi talking on treatment of tuberculosis said that DOTS strategy has improved the treatment outcome, however correct dose and combination of drugs when taken for prescribed period is the key to cure but in many cases persons prescribing anti-TB treatment do not have a weighing machine. Adherence to treatment should be assured and patient should be monitored for clinical improvement, sputum conversion and toxic affects of the drugs.
Prof. Tariq Mehmood, Head Department of Radiology, Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre Karachi said that the most important test in the diagnosis of TB is isolation of TB bacteria but in case of extra pulmonary TB most important evidence suggesting presence of lesion comes from radiological diagnoses. Most common test is X-Ray chest but ultrasound CT scan are also used. Radiology is also employed in diagnostic intervention
like aspiration and biopsy of the lesion used to prove the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Dr. Mohammed Hussain Consultant Chest Physician, Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Liaquat National Hospital discussing the MDR-TB and XDR-TB said that it is the most dreaded form of TB. In Pakistan, it is reported in 5 percent of TB cases. It occurs in 3.4 percent of new cases and 36.5 percent of the previously treated cases. It mostly occurs due to improper treatment, sub standard drugs poor program and patient’s inability to complete first line treatment regularly.
Dr. Amanullah Ansari, Senior National Program Officer of WHO for National TB Control Program said Tuberculosis is a major health hazard in Pakistan. Full DOTS coverage was reached in 2005. It is likely that initiatives to involve private practitioners, along with the use of community volunteers to identify and refer TB suspects, and increased efforts to inform the general public about TB, all contribute to improvement in case-finding. The proportion of patients defaulting has decreased steadily over the past 8 years, bringing the treatment success rate close to the target of 85%. The number of districts where laboratories are subject to external quality is likely to increase. Tertiary care hospital have a role not only in establishing DOTS services but these are centers where difficult to diagnose and complicated pulmonary and extra pulmonary cases are referred for management. Tertiary care facility should also conduct research and development activity.
In the end, Dr. Shahina Qayyum, General Secretary Pakistan Chest Society Sindh offered vote of thanks.