The Health Clinic had been doing fine in partnership with the government. We have a continuous supply of TB medicine from them, writes Columban Lay Missionary Monalisa Esteban.
Representatives from the Civil Health Office come every quarter to visit and check on the records. Peter, our lab technician once in a while is called for a meeting in the Civil Health Office together with Dr Zakir our clinic doctor.
Last September in partnership with the Civil Health Office and the Dopasi Organisation from Karachi, we were one of the Basic Management Units who hosted the TB Camp in Badin District.
Ninety people came for an X-ray examination of their lungs. Fifteen assumptive cases were asked to submit their sputum for GenX checking and some for Smear Microscopy test. Out of those 15, two were positive.
Two Extra-Pulmonary cases were also admitted. According to the doctor in charge, most of the people who came to the clinic had problems with their lungs. He further explained that these cases are not necessarily all TB, but they are advised to have a further checkup.
We recorded 1,401 Out Patients Department visits this year. 147 of them were diagnosed with TB. During the year, sadly ten patients with TB died.
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