We organized a programme in collaboration with the TB Hospital, Faisalabad on "World TB Day" 24th March 2003. TCCP has been working with TB Hospital which is called anti-tb association for the last two year through referral system. The programme was started at 10:00 a.m at TB Hospital, Faisalabad. In the first part of the programme, a seminar was organized in which different medical staff, doctors and volunteers gave awareness about TB disease and its prevention. In the second part of the programme, a rally was carried out leading by Tamir Cheshire Programme staff. The rally started from Gomti Chowk to Watch Tower of Faisalabad. About one hundred and fifty people participated in this rally; local press media gave coverage in local newspaper about the programme. It was very successful rally, after which participants were served with tea and sandwich.

Summary of messages:

Speaker Dr Mohammad Masood drew the attention of higher authorities about alarming situation of TB disease in the District Faisalabad having 5.4 million populations. He said the plight of TB patients is out of control, he further said that unless a comprehensive follow-up programme for the TB patient is not designed, these diseases would not be controlled. Mr. Stephen Anjum - President of Tamir Cheshire Programme emphasis the Health authorities to adopt DOTS treatment method, which is recommended by WHO. In this treatment method, detection of patients, treatment, prevention and follow up programmers are included. He further said that it is the duty of our government to adopt DOTS programme to cover wider population. MDR - TB is widely present in the community due to non availability of proper community awareness programme within community and institute working for TB patients. To quit the TB medicine is just like a committing suicide. The tuberculosis is a disease which can be treated 100% successfully through DOTS treatment method.

Other speakers talked about the harmful aspects of this disease and emphasis on the following points:

Awareness should be made on a large scale in order to describe the harms of TB to these patients. Environmental change is a great need for these patients. The best treatment of TB can be conducted by going door to door to the houses of TB patients. But the greatest barrier in this treatment is the lack of resources. The government should also take strict actions to aware the TB patients for their readily treatment. The number of TB patients in Pakistan is increasing day by day. We can find many TB patients in a single family. This is all due to our carelessness. The other best way for the treatment of TB patients is to conduct a follow up program together with the awareness program. This requires huge funding and therefore the treatment is not possible for a single patient whole year.

It is often seen that only 20% patients complete their treatment period of one year where as the rest of the 80% patients leave their treatment. They further infects 10 to 15 people in a year out of which only 20% further becomes TB patients and the rest doesn't get TB We cannot trace the patients spreading and receiving this infection. The whole family of the TB patient must also be examined. We must face the reality and must have strong commitment.