Get a Free TB Test and Treatment in Pakistan: 76 Drug-Resistant TB Sites by Province
TB testing and treatment are free through Pakistan's national programme. See the 76 drug-resistant TB sites by province and the steps to get tested near you.
Short answer: TB testing and treatment are free at government TB clinics across Pakistan. The National TB Control Programme says it provides free diagnosis and quality-assured treatment through more than 1,700 TB care facilities in the public and private sectors. Drug-resistant TB is treated at 76 designated sites, 26 of them in Punjab and 16 in Sindh.
A cough that will not go away is easy to put off, and a TB test costs nothing. The weekly disease bulletin of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) counted 12,419 suspected TB cases in week 38 of 2026, and 11,997 of them came from Sindh. This guide shows where to go for the test and for drug-resistant treatment, province by province.
We read the national programme's pages on 11 October 2026. We did not call a clinic or visit a site, so we cannot confirm opening hours or current stock.
The national TB programme says testing and treatment are free
The National TB Control Programme (NTP), run through the federal Common Management Unit, says it gives free diagnostic and quality-assured treatment services through more than 1,700 TB care facilities in the public and private sectors. A TB clinic in a government hospital is the usual starting point.
The NTP's statistics page is dated 2022, so the facility count may have changed. In October 2026 the Common Management Unit announced a new TB clinic, called a Basic Management Unit, and a GeneXpert machine at PNS Hafeez Hospital in Islamabad. GeneXpert is a rapid test that checks for TB and for resistance to rifampicin, a main TB medicine.
Drug-resistant TB is treated at 76 designated sites
The programme lists 76 sites for drug-resistant TB, as of December 2025. Punjab has 26, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 19, Sindh 16, Balochistan 11, AJK 2, and Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad 1 each. Most sites sit in district headquarters or teaching hospitals.
| Province or region | Sites | Examples from the official list |
|---|---|---|
| Punjab | 26 | Mayo, Jinnah and Gulab Devi hospitals in Lahore; Nishtar Hospital in Multan |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 19 | Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar; Ayub Teaching Hospital in Abbottabad; Saidu Teaching Hospital in Swat |
| Sindh | 16 | JPMC and Indus Hospital in Karachi; LUMHS in Hyderabad; TB Hospital in Khairpur; GMM Hospital in Sukkur |
| Balochistan | 11 | FJ Chest Hospital in Quetta; DHQ hospitals in Loralai, Turbat and Khuzdar |
| AJK | 2 | Abbas Institute of Medical Sciences, Muzaffarabad; DHQ Mirpur |
| Gilgit-Baltistan | 1 | Provincial Headquarter Hospital, Gilgit |
| Islamabad | 1 | PIMS |
The full list, with a map link for each site, is on the programme's Drug-Resistant TB page. Check it for the site nearest you, because the examples above are only some of the 76.
Where to go for a test depends on your province
Start at the TB clinic of your nearest government hospital, rural health centre or basic health unit, and ask for a TB test. The national page does not list every clinic. Punjab publishes its own list, which our guide covers in getting a free TB test in Punjab.
For Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, we did not read a provincial clinic list. Use the district headquarters hospital, which is the site on the drug-resistant list for most districts, and ask the staff to point you to the TB clinic.
- Go to the nearest government hospital and ask for the TB clinic or the TB Basic Management Unit.
- Tell the doctor how long you have had a cough and any other symptoms.
- Give the sputum sample, the phlegm you cough up, if you are asked for one.
- Ask for the result and a registration number for your treatment.
- If the result shows drug-resistant TB, ask for a referral to the nearest designated site on the list above.
What the NIH bulletin shows for TB in week 38
The NIH counted 12,419 suspected TB cases in week 38, down from 12,595 in week 37. Sindh reported 11,997, about 97 per cent. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had 260 and Gilgit-Baltistan 101. Punjab did not report to the system, so the national total leaves out the largest province.
The NIH's laboratories tested 743 TB samples in Sindh in week 38 and 114 were positive. In Balochistan, 142 were tested and 19 were positive. In Gilgit-Baltistan, 49 were tested and 1 was positive. Suspected cases are not confirmed ones. Our guide to checking disease cases in your district shows how to read the district rows.
| Area | Suspected cases, week 38 | Lab samples tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sindh | 11,997 | 743 | 114 |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 260 | not listed | not listed |
| Gilgit-Baltistan | 101 | 49 | 1 |
| Balochistan | 13 | 142 | 19 |
The Balochistan row looks odd, with more samples tested than suspected cases reported. The NIH prints both numbers and gives no explanation, so we show them as printed.
What support the programme reports for drug-resistant TB patients
The NTP page says drug-resistant TB patients enrolled in treatment receive social support, stated there as cash incentives of Rs 12,000 per month. The drug-resistant TB page describes the support as transport and food for the patient and transport for the treatment supporter.
The two pages describe the support differently, and the amount comes from a page with 2022 figures. Treat Rs 12,000 as reported and ask the treatment site what you are entitled to. The drug-resistant page also says treatment is free, standardised and quality assured, with directly observed therapy, where a supporter watches each dose.
Safety warning and where to complain
Do not stop TB treatment because you feel better, and do not buy TB medicines from a pharmacy without a clinic's prescription. The programme describes directly observed treatment to help patients finish the course. A clinic should not ask you to pay for the test or the medicines.
If a government TB clinic asks for money, note the name of the hospital, the date and who asked. The Common Management Unit's website has a grievance reporting link, and lists its office telephone as +92-51-9255621-3 and its email as info@cmu.gov.pk. For a private lab, our guide to checking a clinic or lab is licensed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa helps you decide whom to trust.
Common questions
Is TB treatment free in Pakistan?
Yes, at programme facilities. The National TB Control Programme says diagnosis and quality-assured treatment are free through more than 1,700 TB care facilities in the public and private sectors.
Where is drug-resistant TB treated?
At 76 designated sites across all provinces and regions, as of December 2025. Punjab has 26, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 19, Sindh 16 and Balochistan 11. The full list is on the programme's page.
How many TB cases did Pakistan report in week 38 of 2026?
The NIH counted 12,419 suspected TB cases, with 11,997 from Sindh. These are suspected cases, and Punjab did not report to the system.
Do I need a doctor's referral for a TB test?
The national pages do not say a referral is needed. Go to a government hospital TB clinic and ask. A referral may be needed to move to a drug-resistant site.
Will I get money for drug-resistant TB treatment?
The programme reports Rs 12,000 a month in social support for enrolled drug-resistant TB patients. Another page describes transport and food support. Ask your treatment site what applies to you.
Is the Punjab TB test the same service?
Punjab runs its own provincial programme with its own clinic list. See our Punjab TB guide for the numbers and the helpline it lists.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on Sunday 11 October 2026. We read the Common Management Unit's National TB Control Programme page, its drug-resistant TB page with its December 2025 site list, its 9 October 2026 note on PNS Hafeez Hospital, and the NIH weekly bulletins for weeks 37 and 38 of 2026. We did not visit a clinic or contact the programme. The Rs 12,000 figure is reported by the programme page and may have changed.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
