Ghulam Nabi Kazi.
DOTS Programme for TB Control in Sindh.
Infect Dis J Jan ;10(1):20-3.

It is tragic that although tuberculosis kills or economically shatters hundreds of persons daily in Pakistan, tangible efforts are being made only since the past 2 years to control or eliminate this menace along scientific lines. We have the life-saving drugs to cure TB, and the cost-effective strategy for their use. By using the DOTS strategy fully, most of the deaths that occur due to tuberculosis can be prevented. The method is not only costeffective but also stops the deadly cycle of infection and its success has been proven in diverse areas such as China, Peru, Vietnam and Bangladesh with cure rates upto 95 percent even in the poorest of countries. The strategy was developed from the collective best practices, clinical trials and programmatic operations of tuberculosis control over the past two decades. Furthermore, DOTS can form the basis of community participation, public-private partnerships and serve as an umbrella for integrating all primary health care activities. Globally the TB deaths are equivalent to the crash of a Boeing 747 every hour of every day and the disease is responsible for 26% of all the avoidable deaths. Furthermore, TB kills more women than any cause of maternal mortality. At the same time, it is paradoxical that TB Control through DOTS is the most cost-effective development assistance for health. Despite this all over the world only 0.2% of investment in health in poor countries in 1998 was spent on TB.

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