KARACHI: US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome and Sindh Minister for Health and Population Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho announced a $9 million plan to fight tuberculosis (TB) in Pakistan.
The US Embassy said in a statement that the work done by the US and Pakistan together was a “crucial step forward in combating this disease.”
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is paying for the Tuberculosis Local Organization Network (TB-LON), a new program that started this month. It will cost $9 million over five years.
“Its main goal is to help Pakistan fight tuberculosis effectively by giving them expert advice and resources.” Solutions will be made to fit the needs of affected communities and people through direct engagement with the program. “TB-LON will treat more TB cases in Sindh and cut the number of people who get the disease by a large amount,” the statement said.
Ambassador Blome talked about how well the US and Sindh government work together, saying, “Tuberculosis is not just a disease that affects millions of people in Pakistan; it’s a disease that destroys lives, livelihoods, and communities.” Pakistan has the fifth highest rate of tuberculosis in the world. I’m happy to say that we are changing that with this groundbreaking $9 million project that will give experts advice and resources to help get rid of TB. This shows our unwavering dedication to the strong people of Sindh.
Dr. Azra thanked the US government for its continued support and repeated that the Sindh government was committed to improving healthcare services. “We are sure that our combined efforts to solve important health problems will make a positive difference in the lives of the people of Sindh,” she said, stressing how important it was to work together to solve important health problems.
Even though it can be avoided and treated, tuberculosis is still the most deadly infectious disease in the world, sickening 10.6 million people and killing 1.3 million each year. Pakistan is ranked fifth among countries with a high TB incidence.
