Contact tracing of TB, HIV patients on cards

Govt to ban over-the-counter sale of TB medicines

LAHORE:

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid has directed the authorities concerned to intensify contact tracing of tuberculosis, hepatitis and HIV patients and enhance the registration of all confirmed patients across the province.

She expressed these views while chairing a high-level meeting of the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department on Thursday.

The minister reviewed the progress of TB Control Programme and Hepatitis and Infection Control Programme with special focus on performance during the coronavirus pandemic. The minister said contact tracing in close family members of patients must be intensified to effectively control the spread of tuberculosis, HIV and hepatitis.

She said private labs must be included in the registration process through IT-based solutions as the consolidated data would help draw the realistic picture of incidence and prevalence.

“The registration of childhood TB patients must be increased as this area requires serious improvement. Medicine cards must be provided to patients receiving hepatitis, HIV and TB treatment,” the minister said. “Stringent monitoring mechanism must be put in place to stop the over-the-counter sale of TB medicines as drug-resistant strains posed a serious challenge.

All medical stores must be directed to make a conspicuous display of a message that TB medicines would not be provided without proper prescription.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 30^th, 2020.