Conquering battle of Tuberculosis in Pakistan

Author: Asif Murad Umrani
The eradication of TB ( Tuberculosis) was a myth and stigma from the beginning of its conquering battle and now the challenge has stuck in the throat of Pakistan’s health authorities. The issue is critically neglected and less attention given than it actually deserves. It seems to be very far from the hands of authorities and now is playing the game of life and death with the masses.
It is heart-wrenching to pen it down that Pakistan has vanquished the rest of countries of being the country with the fifth-highest burden of TB in the world. Additionally, Pakistan is ranked fourth among countries with the highest incidence of MDR_TB.
In most countries more men have TB but in Pakistan, appallingly, more women of childbearing age are affected, often with severe and advanced diseases. Fistula is the root cause of it.
It is generated as a result of multiple pregnancies, poor nutrition and a restricted approach to Healthcare.
Besides, it is important to extend my concern that there are such symptoms and reasons that indicate being enclosed by TB.
A cough or sneeze from an infected person aerosolizes the bacteria-containing droplets. Dried droplets float in confined spaced and remain infectious for several hours. Aside from, persons sharing the same airspace for several hours at close range are inhaling large doses of MTB are most likely to get infected. Combating with TB is not a child’s play, as it is not confined with lungs alone MTB can crawl like a termite to any organ, glands, intestines, reproductive system, bones, joints or nervous system.
Being a developing country for more than five to six decades, Pakistan is still immature on account of recognizing the resulting factors weakening the state towards development. One of Pakistan’s major problems, the persistent overpopulation is seeking ahead of. The uncontrolled increase in population, based on the erroneous belief that large families are beneficial, lack of literacy, and the resulting ignorance are the main reasons in the contribution of augmented TB cases. Consistently, the disease is curable but there are several stoppages raising questions, Malnutrition, unhygienic environment, unhealthy habits, poverty and use of tobacco are the leading components causing TB.
World health organization ( WHO) has identified delays in diagnosis, unsupervised, inappropriate and inadequate drug regiments, poor follow_up and lack of social support programme for high-risk populations.
In brief, the eradication of TB, as well as other communicable diseases by 2030, is part of the Sustainable Development Goals but it is clearly showing that the target would not be achieved on the designated duration.
At last, I want to ask my country, the rich and political leaders go abroad for treatment knowing the fact that they did not establish a single reliable and affordable hospital for people but where do, we, the poor go?
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