Mercy Corps on a mission to prevent TB in Pakistan

QUETTA: A seminar was organized by Mercy Corps in Quetta with the title of ‘Advocacy and Awareness on TB Preventive Treatment (TPT’, says a press release.

As a part of the efforts to end TB in Pakistan, Mercy Corps and its partners are implementing a large-scale program in 120 districts across the country with the support of The Global Fund.  Mercy Corps interventions include engagement with the private sector health system, enhancing community awareness, public outreach to remote areas in partnership with Provincial TB Programs, health departments and implementing partners.

Speaking at the seminar, Dr. Saeedullah Khan, team leader (south) Mercy Corps, highlighted the achievements of the TB program and praised the efforts of Mercy Corps Pakistan and its partners in rolling out the TPT initiative across the country.

Dr. Adeel Tahir, senior program Mercy Corps, shared the innovative approaches on the basis of latest research and international best practices. He gave a briefing on ‘Burden of TB (Global vs Pakistan) and progress made’.

Abdullah Khan, Secretary Health Balochistan, emphasized the need for collective effort from all stakeholders to eradicate TB.

Dr. AminUllah, project manager, concluded the seminar with the hope to continue collaborating with all key stakeholders to spearhead the fight against TB in Balochistan.

TB has remained a major public health concern around the world. Globally, it is estimated that 1.6 million people lost their lives and 10.6 million fell ill from TB in 2021. It is the second-leading infectious killer after COVID-19 and has been declared a national emergency in Pakistan since 2001.

TB preventive treatment (TPT), a treatment offered to individuals who are considered to be at risk of developing disease in order to reduce that risk, is one of the key interventions recommended by the WHO to achieve the end TB strategy targets as upheld by the UN high level meeting on TB in September 2018.