Document is current

Article History

Received: 5 October 2025

Accepted: 12 December 2025

First Online: 23 December 2025

Declarations

:

: This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Ethics approval was obtained from the Association for Social Development, Pakistan IRB in May 2022 (Reference no. ASD-EAG-22-003). The WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional ethics review committee also approved the study in June 2022. All participants included in the study provided informed consent to participate. For those under 18 years of age, consent was obtained from their parent/legal guardian.

: Informed verbal consent for publication of anonymised data was taken from participants (18 or more years of age) or parent/ guardian (less than 18 years of age) at the time of screening as well as TB preventive treatment registration. This consent was recorded in patient record registers at the facilities. Those who did not consent to participate in this research received care as per the national guidelines.

: CSM, DF, AK and CG are staff members of the World Health Organisation. The authors alone are responsible for the views expressed in this article, and they do not necessarily represent the views, decisions or policies of the World Health Organisation.

: The authors declare no competing interests.