A severe shortage of TB test kits has disrupted the diagnostic system across the country.
The Ministry of Health has imposed emergency restrictions due to the shortage and has decided to immediately limit the use of advanced TB testing nationwide. There are concerns that the lack of kits could delay timely diagnosis of tuberculosis.
Amid fears of complete depletion, the use of GeneXpert tests has been reduced, and not every suspected patient will now be able to undergo this test. In the initial phase, patients are being shifted back to older diagnostic methods.
Authorities have directed that advanced testing be reserved only for critical cases, with hospitals and laboratories nationwide instructed to restrict its use. The facility will remain available only for selected and serious patients. However, GeneXpert testing will continue for children and pregnant women.
The Ministry of Health has also ordered strict monitoring to conserve cartridges and has issued immediate implementation directives to provincial TB programs. Confirmed TB patients will be given priority for GeneXpert testing, while TB patients co-infected with HIV have also been placed on the priority list.
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How many HIV patients reported in Sindh, Punjab?
It is an alarming sign that approximately 350,000 HIV patients have been reported from Sindh and Punjab.
An estimated 350,000 HIV cases have been reported in Sindh and Punjab, raising serious public health concerns and putting renewed focus on prevention, testing and treatment efforts in the country’s two most populous provinces.
This was revealed in the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Health meeting, chaired by Sheikh Karman and attended by Member of the National Assembly Mahesh Kumar Malani.
How much spend on per patient annually
It was informed during the meeting that the National AIDS Program spends between $300 and $500 per patient annually for medical treatment.
Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal stated that 84,000 people are currently receiving treatment for HIV.
Minister further explained that the ministry had increased the number of HIV testing centres from 24 to 127, resulting in more people being screened and a subsequent rise in detected cases.
Committee members expressed concern over the pace of progress in clinical surveillance and implementation measures, citing delays in reporting and incomplete data.
