ISLAMABAD -  A Parliamentary Committee on Monday expressed serious concern over the alarming situation of infectious and other diseases in the Federally Administrative Areas (FATA) and less-developed areas and the alleged negligence of the health authorities to tackle them.

The Senate Functional Committee on Problems of Less Developed Areas was informed that the budget allocated for tuberculosis (TB) control in the country was $424000 while the number of patients was whopping 500,000.

The Committee, which met under the chair of Senator Usman Khan Kakar, discussed and reviewed the last three years performance of the Health Ministry, the FATA and Gilgit-Baltistan health administrations.

The Committee was informed that TB was on the rise in the country with about half a million patients across the country.

“Punjab is home to a majority of TB patients followed by Sindh while FATA has around one per cent TB patients,” the National TB Control Programme manager told the Committee. He said that there was no TB lab in the FATA.

The Committee was informed that there was no doctor in the Awaran district while in District Musa Khail only one doctor was available, who at times works as a District Health Officer, Medical Superintendent and emergency doctor.

The Committee directed the health authorities to make available full-time medical officers to all the districts in Balochistan.

Senator Kakar said that the health situation in provinces has deteriorated and they were blaming the Federal government for the plight.

“The Prime Minister is supporting the Punjab government and recommending its projects. Where should we go?” Kakar said.

Senator Gayan Chand said that deaths from hepatitis have increased in the country and hepatitis medicines were expensive and unaffordable.

Senator Khalid Parveen said that besides TB, hepatitis was fast spreading in South Punjab.

Minister of State for National Health Services Regulation and Coordination (NHSRC) Saira Afzal Tarar briefed the Committee about the process of surveys, vaccinations, treatment, awareness, health facilities and preventive measure programmes and the allocated budget.

She said that dengue virus has been controlled. “It was feared that around 25,000 people may die of dengue but it was averted due to timely government intervention.”

The Committee was informed that the government has started a campaign to provide mosquito nets to households in Balochistan and so far around 800,000 mosquito nets have been distributed among the residents.

NHSRC Secretary Muhammad Ayub Sheikh told the Committee that malaria, TB and polio were some of the diseases which have direct links with slum dwelling, malnutrition and unhygienic conditions. “There is a need to create awareness among the masses about precautionary measures,” he said.

Anti-polio programme Director General said that this year no polio case was reported in the FATA.

He said that in less developed areas, “we have conducted surveys and established health care centres and advanced laboratories to facilitate masses”.

An official of the NHSRC said that the Ministry would conduct a demographic health survey in 2017 and the survey aimed to generate an authentic report.

The Committee Chairman directed the health officials to complete the survey in time and set up advance health laboratories in less-developed areas.

He also recommended addressing Congo virus and mortality of women and children in Balochistan and other less developed areas.

The meeting was also attended by Sardar Muhammad Azam Khan Musakhel, Jahanzaib Jamaldini,Maulana Tanveer-ul Haq Thanvi and Samina Abid, officials from related Ministries and departments.