Pakistan’s TB Burden: 525,000 New Cases Annually

News Desk

Islamabad: Despite major advances in diagnosis and treatment, tuberculosis (TB) continues to pose a serious public health challenge in Pakistan, with health experts reporting around 525,000 new cases annually across the country.

Speaking at a TB Day seminar in Peshawar, health officials highlighted the scale of the disease burden while stressing the need for stronger prevention, early detection, and public awareness campaigns to meet the goal of eliminating TB.

Experts said TB remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, although global efforts since 2000 have saved an estimated 54 million lives and reduced TB-related deaths by 42 percent.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Dr Faisal Sultan, said Pakistan’s National TB Control Programme, in collaboration with provincial programmes and development partners, is providing free diagnosis and treatment through a network of more than 1,700 TB care facilities nationwide.

He said the government is working to provide free medical services to over 340,000 TB patients every year, while more than 500 GeneXpert machines are available for rapid detection of both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB cases.

Dr Faisal added that despite challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, TB treatment services remained uninterrupted, with treatment success rates maintaining around 94 percent.

Officials said Pakistan has also strengthened facilities for managing drug-resistant TB, with more than 30 hospitals upgraded and 13 advanced laboratories being established across the country.

Health experts emphasized that controlling TB requires cooperation from communities, healthcare workers, and policymakers, particularly to address the social and economic consequences linked to the disease.

The global fight against TB dates back to 1882, when German scientist Dr Robert Koch announced the discovery of the bacterium responsible for the disease, opening new pathways for diagnosis and treatment.

As Pakistan continues its efforts toward TB elimination, officials say early detection, free treatment access, and public awareness will remain central to reducing the country’s disease burden.