In 2012, several activities were conducted to estimate the TB burden in Pakistan, which accounts for 62% of the regional TB burden. These related to the Capture TB survey (also called the Inventory TB study) and the TB Disease Prevalence Survey. 

Capture TB survey, Pakistan (2012)

A monitoring mission was conducted from 21 to 28 March for the Capture TB survey in Pakistan. A total of 18 private clinics and 3 public non-NTP facilities were visited in Rawalpindi district.         

In each clinic, the health-care provider was interviewed about:

• the frequency of field officer visits per month
• whether instructions were given to refer cases to the TB management unit and to register current practice without modification
• definition of TB suspect, diagnostic tests for TB, anti-TB treatment
• how confirmed diagnosis was made.  

The Capture TB register was then evaluated concerning the completeness and accuracy of data, and methods used to confirm diagnosis.

At the TB management unit, the mission evaluated whether the status of notification of detected TB cases at the national TB programme was verified and non-notified cases registered in a separate register. Telephone interviews were done with five district TB coordinators and five private providers from five other districts.  

A second mission took place in September 2012 to carry out data quality auditing, record linkage and data analysis for the Capture TB survey in Pakistan.

Tuberculosis Disease Prevalence Survey, Pakistan (2012)

The auditing of the TB Disease Prevalence Survey data took place in October, in a workshop hosted by the WHO Regional Office. Staff from the Regional Office, WHO headquarters and the KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation audited the data and gaps were identified. Further data cleaning will be needed before proceeding to final analysis in 2013.