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CE urges

nation to help

government

eliminate TB

ISLAMABAD: Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf has urged the nation to help government and health workers in elimination tuberculosis (TB) from the country.

"In Pakistan alone, an estimated 300,000 new cases of Tuberculosis occur every year, and most of these cases affect adults in the productive age group," he said in his message on the World TB Day, to be observed on Friday (today).

The government is doing its utmost to provide free diagnosis and full treatment to all the citizens for the control of this join hands with us in ensuring that a proper diagnosis is made and full treatment is taken," he said.

Tuberculosis is not only curable but its treatment is also affordable and available from all the designated government hospitals, he added.

The government is promoting the directly observed treatment short-course in which a health worker or a family member ensures that the proper medicines are taken for the required period. Public co-operation in this venture is highly needed, he said.

"If we have the will and capacity, we shall Inshallah be able to eliminate this menace in a short span of time," General Musharraf said and added: "let the world TB Day, 2000, be a milestone in our fight against the Tuberculosis".

Tuberculosis is worldwide re-emerging public health problem. Though the cure for Tuberculosis was discovered in the 1940s yet it still continues to be a major problem in Pakistan, and other countries.ÑAPP