In a landmark move to protect Pakistan’s youngest and most vulnerable citizens, the Common Management Unit for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (CMU) at Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination, the World Health Organization (WHO), and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) have convened a high-level two-day consultation to accelerate the national response to childhood tuberculosis (TB).
With an estimated 93,600 children affected by TB in Pakistan—and children representing at least 14% of the country’s 669,000 total TB cases—the urgency of this initiative cannot be overstated. Pakistan carries 73% of the TB burden in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and ranks as the fifth most affected country globally, making this consultation a critical step toward saving young lives.
National Policy Meets Global Science
Under CMU leadership, the consultation focused on aligning Pakistan’s national TB policies with the latest WHO international guidelines. The roundtable, organized in collaboration with the Pakistan Paediatric Association, centered on practical integration of evidence-based interventions, drawing key lessons from MSF’s innovative TACTiC (Test, Avoid, Cure TB in Children) initiative.
WHO Recommendations Adopted for Pediatric TB Care:
- 4-month TB treatment regimen for drug-susceptible cases in children
- TB preventive treatment for child contacts of confirmed cases
- New all-oral 6–9 month regimens for drug-resistant TB in pediatric patients
- Family-centred, decentralized care models to improve access and adherence
- Standardized clinical diagnosis algorithms for settings with limited laboratory capacity
These science-backed strategies aim to close critical gaps in case detection, treatment initiation, and successful outcomes for children across Pakistan’s diverse healthcare landscape.
Commitment to Child-Centered Action
“Under the leadership of senior management of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and the Common Management Unit, Pakistan has prioritized paediatric tuberculosis as a critical programmatic gap… The programme has advanced integrated, child-focused interventions, including standardized clinical diagnosis, systematic household contact investigation, and scale-up of TB preventive therapy.”
— Dr. Faisal Siraj, TB Programme Manager, CMU
Dr. Siraj emphasized that these strategic actions are being institutionalized through Pakistan’s forthcoming National Strategic Plan, ensuring sustained, measurable reductions in childhood TB burden.
“Children are among the most vulnerable to developing TB because diagnosing the disease is more challenging, and the risk of severe disease is higher compared to adults. We are implementing new WHO diagnostic algorithms to support doctors in initiating treatment early, even when laboratory tests are unavailable or inconclusive.”
— Dr. Florian Götzinger, National Implementer, MSF TACTiC Initiative
The Stark Reality: TB’s Toll on Pakistan’s Children
Tuberculosis remains a leading infectious killer in Pakistan:
- 51,000 deaths attributed to TB annually
- 1,800 new cases diagnosed every day
- 140 lives lost to TB daily
Globally, the WHO Global TB Report 2025 estimates that 1.2 million children developed TB in 2024. Yet countless children remain missed by health systems—undiagnosed, untreated, or diagnosed too late to prevent severe complications or death.
A Moral Imperative: Protecting Pakistan’s Future
“Protecting children from TB is not only a medical responsibility — it is a moral imperative and an investment in a healthier and more prosperous future for Pakistan. Our goal is to reach every child, regardless of social or economic status, no matter where they live or who they are.”
— Ellen Thom, WHO Deputy Representative in Pakistan
This consultation marks a pivotal moment in Pakistan’s public health journey. By embedding child-focused TB services within primary healthcare and child health platforms, strengthening engagement with private providers, and improving surveillance systems, Pakistan is building a more resilient, equitable response to childhood tuberculosis.
What This Means for Families and Healthcare Providers
For Parents and Caregivers:
- Increased awareness of childhood TB symptoms: persistent cough, fever, weight loss, fatigue
- Greater access to preventive therapy for children exposed to TB
- Simplified, shorter treatment regimens to improve completion rates
- Family-centred care models that reduce stigma and support adherence
For Healthcare Workers:
- Updated clinical algorithms for diagnosing TB in children without advanced lab access
- Training on new WHO-recommended treatment protocols
- Tools for systematic household contact investigation
- Integration of TB services into routine child health visits
For Policy Makers:
- Framework for scaling up pediatric TB interventions nationwide
- Data-driven approaches to monitor progress and close implementation gaps
- Mechanisms to strengthen public-private collaboration in TB care
