Islamabad—Around 420,000 people develop active tuberculosis each year in the country with 65 percent case detection rate.
According to available data, remaining 35 percent of tuberculosis patients which is around 147,000, develop the diseases during each year but do not participate in screening programme.
It said this 35 percent patients remain undiagnosed and unmanaged in the country while tuberculosis is endemic and is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality.
Pakistan ranks 5th among 22 high TB burden countries in world that share 81 percent of global TB burden.
The international research shows that TB patients if remain untreated and unmanaged, two thirds of them would die within two to three years of disease onset.
Similarly, such patients, who remain untreated, transfer disease to 10 individuals in a year and 15-20 years in lifetime of patient.
A public heath expert, Dr Sobia Faisal, said that delays in diagnosis of tuberculosis after the onset of related signs and symptoms and inappropriate treatment result in mortality and longtime morbidity.
She said non-participation as well as delayed participation of TB suspects in tuberculosis control programme is a daunting challenge for health authorities concerned.
She added these unmanaged TB cases cause spread of disease in community and also introduce much dangerous form of disease which is drug resistance TB.
Source: Pakistan Observer