US leads effort to combat XDR typhoid in Sindh

KARACHI: In response to the growing threat of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid in Sindh, the United States hosted a critical meeting in Karachi on October 2-3, bringing together key stakeholders to develop a coordinated plan to tackle the public health crisis.

Participants discussed the impact of XDR typhoid on Sindh and identified urgent actions to control the outbreak. Emphasizing practical, affordable, and effective measures, they prioritized ten key actions, including enforcing guidelines for responsible antibiotic use, restricting antibiotic sales without prescriptions, ensuring access to clean drinking water, and formulating a provincial XDR typhoid response plan to steer policy at all levels of administration.

A multidisciplinary technical working group was also formed to lead future efforts on typhoid control in the province. The group is set to convene in early 2025 to design strategies and policies aimed at implementing the prioritized actions.

Notable participants included Dr. Elizabeth Davlantes, Deputy Branch Chief for Waterborne Disease Prevention, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Dr. Muhammad Afzal, Global Health Security and Epidemiology Advisor, CDC Pakistan; Muhammad Faheem from Health Security Partners; as well as representatives from the Directorate General of Health Services, Government of Sindh, municipal water authorities, the Pakistan Medical Association, and Aga Khan University. Observers from the National Institute of Health-Islamabad, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the Flemming Fund were also present.