LOWER DIR/CHITRAL: Seminars were held on Wednesday in Lower and Chitral to raise awareness among people about tuberculosis (TB).

The seminar in Lower Dir was organised at a local hotel in Timergara by health department with the support of Association for Community Development to mark World TB Day.

The event drew significantparticipation from health officials, representatives of TB Control Programme and local volunteers.

The district health officer, Dr Mohammad Nisar Khan Tarkalani, medical superintendent of district headquarters hospital, Dr Bakhtzada Akhunzada, TB focal person Dr Najeebullah and other health experts addressed the gathering, stressing that TB was a curable disease with free treatment available across the district.According to health officials, Lower Dir has 416 active TB cases. Nine TB centres and two mobile diagnostic vans equipped with X-ray and testing facilities are providing services to people throughout the region.

Speakers urged doctors, media, religious scholars and community leaders to play a proactive role in raising awareness and encouraging timely diagnosis and treatment of TB patients.

They said that persistent cough with phlegm for morethan two weeks, accompanied by fever and sweating, were symptoms of TB.

In Chitral, the seminar was held under the auspices of TB Control Programme.

The seminar was addressed by the district health officer, Dr Shamim, the medical superintendent of district headquarters hospital, Dr Haiderul Mulk, TB control officer Dr Shabbir and others.

They described different modes and means to enlist support of people forputting brakes on the curable disease and checking its proliferation.

They stressed the need for creating mass awareness about the disease so that the infected people may hasten to hospital for diagnosis and treatment before spread of the ailment.

On this occasion, prizes and awards were also conferred on a number of physicians, who have played significant role in controlling the disease during the last two years.