Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Kh. Salman Rafique on Thursday inaugurated “Mobile Theater” a TB awareness campaign organized by Provincial TB Control Program Punjab and respective partners in connection with World TB Day.
The ceremony was also attended by members of Pakistan Academy of Physician, Deputy Program Manager National TB Control Program Punjab Dr. Aurangzeb Qadir Balouch, Dr. Amjad Abbas of Green Star, Dr. Naveed of Pakistan Anti TB Association, renowned healthcare providers, doctors, professors and chest specialists.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony at Jelani Park, Advisor to Chief Minister on Health appreciated the efforts of Provincial TB Control Program Punjab to eliminate TB from the province. He said that the strategy of Mobile Theater for public awareness is an ideal to help government in reaching maximum TB patients. He congratulated PTP Punjab for submitting a comprehensive proposal to federal government and Global Fund for strengthening TB infrastructure in Punjab.
Deputy Program Manager National TB Control Program Islamabad Dr. Aurangzeb Qadir Balouch congratulated PTP Punjab for arranging such a massive awareness campaign. He appreciated the idea of mobile theater for interpersonal communication. He assured that National TB Control Program Punjab shall support Punjab in all areas according to its need and requirement. He declared Punjab as role model for other provinces.
Provincial Program Manager PTP Punjab Dr. Abdul Majeed Akhtar while addressing said that the TB patient detection rate in Punjab is 78 percent and total 205036 patients were successfully treated in 2015. He requested federal government for strengthening PTP Punjab infrastructure through mobile vans with X-rays machines for case detection and gene expert for all districts of Punjab for rapid testing to diagnose TB patients.
Provincial TB Control Program Punjab has designed a comprehensive awareness plan for the sensitization of general public regarding TB diagnosis, treatment and cure. The mobile theater shall go to 20 districts and 60 tehsils and towns of Punjab with renowned stage artists with a script highlighting TB symptoms and addressing a social stigmas attached to its diagnosis and treatment with entertainment.
The PTP Punjab has also planned to set up chest camps with mobile theater to provide free check up and sputum examination of TB suspects.