Linkages developed by the National TB Control Programme with other national programmes and initiatives as HIV/AIDS, nutrition, maternal and neonatal health and national programme on family planning and primary health care will also be reviewed by the international mission.
In conformity with the previous practice, the review mission will have the participation of high level officials from a number of development partners of the National Tuberculosis Control Program, including WHO, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, USAID, LIICA Association for Social Development, CIDA, DFID, European Union, GLRA, RPM Plus, Mercy Corps International, GTZ and the World Bank.
It may be reminded that the National TB Control Programme has selected few districts from each province to be reviewed by the mission including Karachi and Larkana in Sindh.
In Sindh, where universal Dots coverage was achieved in November 2003, the provincial Directorate of Tuberculosis Control is in process of eliminating the micro-problems in the filed. The macro-indicators are, however, quite encouraging particularly in comparison with other provinces.
Nevertheless there is a need to consolidate the programme at al levels by addressing all governance and conceptual bottlenecks.
The sources associated with the Sindh TB Control Programme told APP that a total of 30,325 cases of all types of tuberculosis were detected in the province out of which 11,980 were smear positive - that of those who can transmit the disease to other patients.
In the Karachi metropolis, a total of 7,748 TB cases, including 3,449 smear positive cases were detected. Thus the over all case detection rate for the province was said to work out to 49 percent while that for smear positive it was 43 percent.
The target for case detection for December 2005 has been set for 70 percent, which seems quite doable for most districts of Sindh, however, special inputs were said to be required for Karachi in order to develop a role model for urban Dots and achieve the required targets.
According to concerned sources the sputum conversion rate during the past year stood at 62 percent that needs to be enhanced, while treatment success rate was 76 percent, which will be increased to 65 percent as soon as possible but definitely by end of the year.
Need for reducing the default rate through innovative methods and documenting the progress of patients, who are transferred out to other diagnostic centers is generally recommended.
The international mission visiting Sindh to also include Dr Noor Ahmed of NTP/WHO, Dr Sang Jae Kim of IUATLD, Dr Abrar Ahmed of I]ICA Dr Hayakawa of JICA - Afghanistan, Dr Arif Noor of Mercy Corps International and Dr Naseer Nizamani of Family Health International will be apprising the Provincial Health Secretary, Professor Naushad Sheikh in a wrap up meeting on Thursday.