A Day to Unite
World TB Day 24th March 2008
The World TB Day has been held throughout Pakistan on March 24th, 2008. The day aimed towards mobilizing support to fight against the fatal disease of TB. The Government of Pakistan is committed to focus on mobilizing communities, raising awareness, encouraging Provincial/ Para government agencies and donors to invest in TB control at priority on National and Global agenda.
The day commemorated through organizing seminars, walks, workshops and rallies with the involvement of people belonging to all walks of life across the country.
The slogan for World TB Day this year is I am stopping TB.
This year in particular; the events were globally aimed towards mobilizing the resources to support the fight against this disease through community initiatives, raising awareness to be a part of the Stop TB Strategy, and encouraging the governments and donors to invest in TB control.
Pakistan is 8th among the 22 high burden countries with incidence of 177 per 100,000 population for all types of tuberculosis. The disease takes a share of 5.1 per cent of the total national disease burden. The National TB Control Programme with its provincial departments in all four provinces, AJ&K and Northern Areas ensures free diagnosis and treatment facilities at all public health centers. There are more than 5000 diagnostic and treatment facilities functioning throughout the country. In 2006 Pakistan contributed 55% of the total number of detected cases in the region indicating that TB control activities are well placed in the country.
The National TB Control Programme was revived in year 2000 to make operational DOTS Strategy in the country. Since then, in excess of 798, 222 patients have been registered for treatment, out of which 85 per cent successfully completed their treatment. The Programme has been praised for its progress in recent reviews conducted by external TB experts and international donors. The DOTS programme to treat the disease has been a landmark as it opened new vistas for the patient and doctor alike.
Advocacy Communication and Social Mobilization has been used successfully to address the key challenges faced in the fight against TB. For this year World TB Day celebrations the National TB Control Programme has organized a number of advocacy and communication activities. People from all over the country would join the international community in its revels. All the identified activities have taken place both at the National & Provincial Level.
NTP has organized an advocacy seminar to engage both the print and electronic media in raising awareness regarding tuberculosis. Honorable Secretary Health has been requested to be the Guest of Honor for this event, while messages and comments on the day have been made by the different representatives from various stakeholders. This has provided an opportunity to discuss various important issues including cure of the disease, free diagnosis, treatment, medication, accessibility (100% DOTS coverage) and stigma.
NTP has organized informational talk shows on TB with nation wide coverage to target maximum number of audience. This has given an understanding of this disease to the general public and highlighted the extent to which TB affects the lives as well as livelihood of people. Streamers, banners, billboards were placed in cities to create maximum feel of this global event. The purpose was to decorate the city for the World TB Day celebrations and spread the message across so that maximum number of people can participate.
Come together, share together, work together and succeed together |
