Publications by authors named "Rabia Maniar"

Despite 30 years as a public health emergency, tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the world's deadliest diseases. Most deaths are among persons with TB who are not reached with diagnosis and treatment. Thus, timely screening and accurate detection of TB, particularly using sensitive tools such as chest radiography, is crucial for reducing the global burden of this disease.

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Article Synopsis
  • Pakistan has one of the highest rates of tuberculosis (TB) in the world, and a study was conducted to assess the prevalence of TB in adults and the risk of M. tuberculosis infection in children in Karachi, focusing on areas with and without prior active case-finding (ACF) activities.
  • The research involved surveys between March 2018 and May 2019, with almost 35,000 adults and over 1,500 children participating, revealing a higher prevalence of TB in areas with no prior ACF (421 cases per 100,000) compared to areas with prior ACF (279 cases per 100,000).
  • The findings indicated that ACF efforts in Korangi district likely reduced TB prevalence and transmission,
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As the COVID-19 pandemic surged, lockdowns led to the cancellation of essential health services. As part of our Zero TB activities in Karachi, we adapted our approach to integrate activities for TB and COVID-19 to decrease the impact on diagnosis and linkage to care for TB treatment. We implemented the following: (1) integrated COVID-19 screening and testing within existing TB program activities, along with the use of an artificial intelligence (AI) software reader on digital chest X-rays; (2) home delivery of medication; (3) use of telehealth and mental health counseling; (4) provision of PPE; (5) burnout monitoring of health workers; and (6) patient safety and disinfectant protocol.

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