KARACHI: Bridge Consultants Foundation (BCF) marked World TB Day 2026 at its head office in Karachi with a seminar and awareness walk, bringing together health experts, civil society representatives, media personnel, and TB survivors to reaffirm commitment to eliminating tuberculosis.
The event followed this year’s global theme, “Yes! We Can End TB,” focusing on collective action led by the Government of Sindh with support from partner organizations. The seminar began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by opening remarks from Program Manager BCF, Waheed Khattak, who highlighted the growing burden of TB in Pakistan and stressed the importance of early diagnosis, treatment adherence, and community awareness.
Addressing the seminar, Professor Dr. Rafiq Khanani spoke on the challenges in ending TB, identifying delayed diagnosis, stigma, lack of awareness, and limited healthcare access as key barriers. He emphasized the need for stronger primary healthcare systems, enhanced public-private partnerships, and increased political commitment and funding.
Dr. Tajamul Baig, in his session, explained the differences between drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB, outlining symptoms such as persistent cough, fever, weight loss, and night sweats. He highlighted diagnostic tools including sputum tests, GeneXpert, and chest X-rays, and stressed strict treatment adherence to prevent drug resistance.
Speakers also underscored the role of Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) in improving accountability in TB services and introduced the One Impact app as a tool to strengthen community feedback mechanisms.
An interactive question-and-answer session followed, allowing participants to engage directly with experts on TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The seminar concluded with a vote of thanks by Omer Abro, who appreciated the contributions of all stakeholders and reaffirmed BCF’s commitment to national TB elimination efforts.
The event concluded with an awareness walk, where participants carried placards highlighting key messages on early detection, stigma reduction, and treatment completion. The walk aimed to raise public awareness and reinforce that tuberculosis is both preventable and curable.
Participants reiterated their commitment to working collectively towards a TB-free Sindh.
