ISLAMABAD: Tuberculosis takes a severe toll in Pakistan, claiming 140 lives daily, prompting a renewed commitment from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation, and Coordination and the World Health Organization (WHO) to tackle the disease head-on. The initiative, announced on World Tuberculosis Day, aims to address the 669,000 people affected annually and reduce the 51,000 deaths per year attributed to the disease. Pakistan ranks as the fifth most affected country globally, bearing 73% of the tuberculosis burden in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

According to Relief Web, the Ministry and WHO are urging all stakeholders to invest in strategies that end tuberculosis, emphasizing the disease’s curability and the importance of early detection and treatment. They highlight the availability of free diagnosis and treatment across 2031 facilities nationwide, striving for a treatment success rate of 95%. Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal reiterated the government’s commitment to ending tuberculosis through coordinated actions and sustainable financing.

Pakistan has seen an increase in tuberculosis notifications and treatment coverage, reaching more than 497,000 people in 2024. Over the past decade, with WHO’s technical collaboration, Pakistan has provided services to approximately 5 million individuals affected by tuberculosis. The country has also expanded the use of WHO-recommended rapid molecular diagnostics across 562 sites, enhancing early detection and treatment efforts.

The WHO, in partnership with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, is committed to strengthening national TB control programs and improving access to TB services in Pakistan. This collaboration aims to scale up detection and treatment, combat stigma, and promote prevention and control measures. WHO Representative Dr. Luo Dapeng emphasized the preventability of tuberculosis deaths and the importance of continued efforts to ensure early detection and treatment for all.

On World TB Day, the Ministry of Health Services and WHO reaffirmed their commitment to reducing TB transmission, preventing drug resistance, and ensuring complete treatment for every patient.