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. 2022 Jun 17:79:104009.
doi: 10.1016/j.amsu.2022.104009. eCollection 2022 Jul.

MDR-TB in Pakistan: Challenges, efforts, and recommendations

Mahad Ahmed Khan  1 , Wajeeha Bilal  1 , Hanzla Asim  1 , Zainab Syyeda Rahmat  1 , Mohammad Yasir Essar  2 , Shoaib Ahmad  3
Affiliations

MDR-TB in Pakistan: Challenges, efforts, and recommendations

Mahad Ahmed Khan et al. Ann Med Surg (Lond). .

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB), a global health concern is also a leading cause of mortality and morbidity across Pakistan affecting a major proportion of the population. The absence of an integrated system to control the spread of TB has led to a rise in multidrug resistant strains of TB (MDR-Tb) which do not exhibit any sensitivity towards the first line therapy for TB. Such adverse circumstances call for effective planning strategies to mitigate the health hazards of MDR-TB. This article briefly highlights the challenges encountered by the already burdened healthcare system and suggests relatively inexpensive approaches to tackle the ongoing crisis associated with MDR-TB on a national scale.

Keywords: COVID-19; MDR, multiple drug resistance; MDR-TB; PMDT, Programmatic Management of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis; Pakistan; Tuberculosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

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