QUETTA: Tuberculosis (TB) cases are rising across Balochistan, with between 16,000 and 18,000 cases reported during the current year — a trend that health officials say is particularly concerning in the province’s prisons.
The figures were shared on Tuesday by Dr Sher Afghan Raisani, Provincial Manager of the TB Control Programme, at a press conference alongside Superintendent of Quetta District Jail SSP Hamidullah Pechi, Programme Project Manager Dr Irfan and other health specialists.
Dr Raisani said a comprehensive screening initiative had been carried out among 3,000 inmates in 12 prisons across the province to assess both communicable and non-communicable diseases. He noted that the TB Control Programme continues to offer free diagnosis and treatment at 250 centres, supported by 650 doctors from public and private hospitals across 20 districts.
To strengthen early detection, more than 100 modern FM microscopes and 30 AI-based digital X-ray machines have been deployed across Balochistan’s hospitals. Treatment centres for drug-resistant TB have also been expanded, increasing from three to eleven as part of broader efforts to modernise TB care.
For the first time, the provincial health department, TB Control Programme, Department of Prisons and DoPasi Foundation have jointly launched a coordinated screening drive in all 12 prisons. Dr Raisani said the initiative aims to ensure that inmates, prison staff and security personnel receive standardised diagnostic and treatment services for a wide range of health conditions.
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A month-long screening campaign conducted in September covered 2,930 individuals, including 2,558 prisoners and 371 staff. Testing included TB, HIV, Hepatitis B and C, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, mental health conditions, nutritional status and lifestyle-related risks.
Using AI-activated digital X-ray technology, 139 individuals were flagged for suspected TB. Follow-up testing with GeneXpert confirmed 11 TB cases, all drug-sensitive, and treatment was initiated immediately.
Dr Raisani said that comprehensive screening of communicable and non-communicable diseases was conducted among 3,000 prisoners in 12 prisons of Balochistan.https://t.co/XRFujNOIag
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The screening also detected eight HIV-positive cases, 61 individuals with Hepatitis B and 93 with Hepatitis C. Although women make up just 2.6 per cent of the prison population, health officials noted that female inmates showed comparatively higher hepatitis prevalence.
Dr Raisani stressed that the rise in TB cases underscored the need for sustained screening, better prison healthcare and strengthened public awareness to curb transmission across the province.
