Punjab Minister for Primary & Secondary Health Kh. Imran Nazir has said that elimination of tuberculosis from Pakistan and Punjab is the firm commitment of Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and the Punjab government for which all resources would be spent. The Minister said that government has decided to declare TB as notifiable disease after that all the doctors, homeopaths, hakeems and quacks would be bound to report TB patients to the PTCP. Punjab TB Control Programme and Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry would coordinate in search of TB patients in industrial workers for which a memorandum of understanding has been signed at LCCI, today.
The Minister stated this while addressing MoU signing ceremony between Punjab TB Control Programme and Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry, here today. Provincial Director PTCP Dr. Zarfashan Tahir and President LCCI Abdul Basit signed the documents. Kh. Imran Nazir revealed that LCCI would provide access to the Health Department to approximately 2 million industrial workers for screening of TB. Kh. Imran Nazir said that this MoU would help search of TB patients which is very vital for complete eradication of the disease. Dr. Zarfashan Tahir informed that TB Control Programme would provide coupons LCCI for industrial workers and in case of symptoms related to TB like continuous coughing, fever, loss of weight and loss of appetite in any worker, he can contact with the programme for free diagnosis of the TB and its treatment. Kh. Imran Nazir said that LCCI always extend unconditional cooperation to the people and the government in all difficult times and natural calamities. He said that Punjab government is implementing revamping plan of 40 DHQ and THQ hospitals for enhancing the treatment facilities and improving the performance of the hospitals. The MoU signing ceremony was also addressed by President LCCI Abdul Basit, Senior Vice President Amjad Ali Jawa, Shahid Iqbal Butt, Mian Zahid ur Rehman, Malik Tariq, Malik Gulzar Ahmed and Sheikh Abrar. The President LCCI assured all out cooperation to the government for elimination of TB.