The Nangarhar Department of Public Health has reported a rise in tuberculosis (TB) cases in the province.

According to officials, in the solar year 1403, a total of 6,034 patients sought treatment at health centers, compared to 5,789 patients the previous year.

Health officials attribute the increase to low public awareness, limited access to healthcare services, and the deportation of Afghan migrants from Pakistan.

Latifullah Faqiri, provincial TB coordinator at the Nangarhar Department of Public Health, stated: "5,779 cases were previously identified, and over 6,000 cases have been diagnosed in 1403 — an increase of 200 compared to last year."

Sabahuddin Saba, head of the TB ward at Nangarhar Regional Hospital, explained: "The patient suffers from fever, dry mouth, weight loss, lack of appetite, and general fatigue and weakness. If it is pulmonary tuberculosis, which is most often the case, the patient will have a cough and produce phlegm."

Several TB patients at the regional hospital in Nangarhar have called on authorities to improve public awareness about the disease and provide better treatment facilities.

Noor Agha, one of the patients, said: "I had chest pain and a persistent cough for a month. I didn’t know what it was, but I turned out to have tuberculosis. Then I came here for treatment."

Another patient, Hazrat Bilal, stated: "There needs to be public awareness in rural and remote areas so that people can recognize the symptoms and seek medical help promptly."

Health officials recommend wearing masks, avoiding contact with infected individuals until recovery, and seeking timely medical attention as effective measures for preventing and treating tuberculosis.