Tuberculosis hunts more people than any other curable infectious disease in the world. Every day more than 20000 people develop active TB and 5000 die from the disease. An estimated 8 million new cases of TB infection and 1.7 million deaths occur annually. One third of the world’s population is infected with the TB bacillus. The global TB epidemic continues to increase by 3% every year. Poverty, malnutrition, poor sanitation, overcrowding and unawareness are the contributing factors for this disease. Pakistan ranks 8^th among the high burden TB countries in the world. Pakistan also accounts for 43% of tuberculosis burden in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

2003 makes the 10^th anniversary of tuberculosis being declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization and introduction of the DOTS strategy to control this monster, which engulfs the precious lives and worth resources. DOTS saved 10 million lives in the world and benefit more than 1 million family members of the TB patients. DOTS has prove one of the best public health interventions, saving such a large number of lives in such a short time.

For this reason the theme selected for this year is "People with TB" and the slogan is "DOTS cured me – it will cure you too!" The theme emphasizes TB patients and the importance of including them as advocate and dynamic participants in global TB control and to banish the stigma attached to TB. The theme also supports case detection and DOTS expansion that is crucial to reach the global targets.

Every year all over the World, TB Day is observed with a new zeal, dedication and commitment. In Pakistan the World TB Day was also observed with the aim to ring a bell to ourselves that many people with tuberculosis have yet to benefit from DOTS and we should boost up our efforts also to go forward to achieve the global target by year 2005. A wide variety of activities were designed to raise awareness and support.

The mass media has an immense power to reach large numbers of people and to bring TB education right into homes and offices NTP realizing this fact had pre TB Day campaign, starting with a news conference on 21^st March. Minister for Health and DGH addressed the media. It was carried out in print and electronic media.

To increase awareness in the general public on TB and its treatment under DOTS strategy, and to mobilize the public and private sectors to be actively involved in TB control activities, the National TB Control Programme organized a walk on World TB Day. Minister for Health led the walk, while, Director General Health, the provincial (Regional) TB Control Managers and high-ranking government officials from other ministries were also there in the walk to secure their support. People from different sections of life, school children, Girls Guide Association of Pakistan, Anti TB Association of Pakistan and many other NGOs also participated in the walk. T-shirts, caps and badges were distributed among the participants, which had the monogram of Stop TB Pakistan. Minister for Health addressed the walk gathering.

The next activity was a seminar. Minister for Health was the chief guest at the occasion. Among others the Director General Health, the WHO Representative and the Country Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) also attended the seminar.

Seminar started with the recitation from Holy Quran. The Manager National TB Control Programme welcomed the participants and presented the overview of National TB Control Programme. The Director General Health gave the keynote address. The Country Representative of Japan told the audiences about the support that Japan government is providing for DOTS expansion in Punjab province. The representative of Country Representative of World Health Organization read the message of Regional Director of Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Advocating the basic philosophy of DOTS strategy, one Paramedic, Laboratory Technician, Lady Health Worker (LHW) and schoolteacher, involved as a treatment supporter, shared their experiences. A cured young lady and man from remote districts narrated their story of disease. Breath holding talk by the mother of young lady, won all the attraction of audiences and the media. She told that few years back, when TB treatment was not freely available, I lost my young son because I could not sustain the long treatment due to lack of resources. In case of my daughter when she fell ill the LHW (who was also present at the occasion) advised me to visit a Government Health Facility where free diagnosis and treatment is available. I could not believe that free treatment is available. The same LHW supervised the intensive phase and rest of the six months and finally my daughter was cured.

The Minister for Health in his address valued the efforts made by National TB Control Programme for effective TB control in the country. He said that government is extremely committed to achieve the global targets. He highly appreciated the bravery and confidence of both the juvenile cured patients to come to the fore and share their experience in spite that TB is still a social stigma.

At the end of seminar shields were distributed among, who devoted themselves for TB control activities and has sacrificed the family and social lives. The ceremony provided an opportunity to educate the members of society to enlist their support.

Another important event on World TB Day was the meeting of Inter Agency Coordination Committee (TB). Secretary Health chaired the event. The Managers of Provincial TB Control Programmes, National Programme Officers WHO for TB and International partners attended the meeting. Several important discussions to ensure DOTS expansion and increasing partnership scope were taken.

Several talks and messages were telecasted having Minister of Health, Director General Health, NTP Manager, Provincial Representatives and NGOs.

On 25^th March an Inter Provincial Managers meeting was arranged in connection with the World TB Day to assess the current status of the DOTS coverage and to take measures to hasten the actions to attain the global targets. The National TB Control Programme team, Managers Provincial TB Control Programmes and National Programme Officers (TB) from provinces attended the meeting.

All activities get magnificent coverage in media, which would help in social mobilization and social stigma associated with TB, as tuberculosis has long been considered incurable. World TB Day was a brilliant occasion to address the fact that TB is not a death sentence when there is an access to DOTS. Helping TB patients to get involved in advocacy could mean the difference between life and death for others suffering from TB.

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