Action to end tuberculosis

This year, with the theme “Vietnam commits, invests, and acts to end TB”, on the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day 2025 (March 24), health agencies are calling for the cooperation of the whole society, from all levels of government to each citizen, to raise awareness, eliminate stigma and support patients. Compliance with treatment, early detection and BCG vaccination for newborns are important measures towards ending TB.

Meritorious Physician, Doctor Tran Quang Dung, Deputy Director of Ca Mau Province Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Hospital, informed: "After the Covid-19 epidemic, tuberculosis tends to return and develop quite strongly. According to statistics in 2022, each year Vietnam records about 170,000 tuberculosis cases, of which about 9-10,000 cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis and 10-11,000 deaths from tuberculosis. This is an alarming number."

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Vietnam ranks 11th among the 30 countries with the highest burden of tuberculosis and 10th among the 30 countries with the highest burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis. The tuberculosis prevention system in Vietnam is currently relatively stable, from the central to local levels. However, the biggest challenge in tuberculosis prevention remains the awareness and cooperation of patients, as well as community awareness. For patients, treatment compliance plays an important role.

- Can you share the difficulties in treating tuberculosis patients, especially drug-resistant tuberculosis?

Meritorious Physician, Doctor Tran Quang Dung: One of the biggest difficulties in treating tuberculosis is adherence to the regimen. Some patients adhere well, but many also abandon treatment halfway due to economic pressure, having to worry about making a living or moving around for work. This reduces the effectiveness of treatment and increases the risk of drug resistance. Drug-resistant tuberculosis requires a strict treatment regimen. However, in reality, there are cases where patients feel well and are complacent and do not come for follow-up visits on schedule.

The medical team of the Tuberculosis and Lung Hospital always takes good care of tuberculosis patients.

The local TB control program has implemented many support measures such as home delivery of medicine through the grassroots health network, medical staff visiting patients to check and remind them to take their medicine, and supporting travel expenses for drug-resistant TB patients at each follow-up visit. However, there are still patients who do not strictly comply, due to their livelihood or because they are subjective when they see their health improving. This is a major barrier in controlling drug-resistant TB.

- Currently, what new methods are being applied in tuberculosis treatment at the Tuberculosis and Lung Hospital, doctor?

Meritorious Physician, Doctor Tran Quang Dung: Currently, the hospital has applied many advanced techniques to diagnose and treat tuberculosis. One of the important techniques is the Gene Xpert molecular test, a molecular biology method that helps detect tuberculosis bacteria with high accuracy. If the test sample contains a gene segment of tuberculosis bacteria, the system will amplify and accurately identify it.

Gene Xpert molecular biology analyzer, molecular biology method helps detect tuberculosis bacteria with high accuracy.

In addition, the hospital also applies bronchoscopy, which helps detect tuberculosis bacteria in cases where patients cannot cough up sputum, especially useful for patients with early-stage pulmonary tuberculosis or extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Advances in diagnosis and treatment help improve the effectiveness of tuberculosis treatment, but the most important thing is still the cooperation of patients and community awareness in preventing and treating this disease.

Thank you!

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"If the treatment is well-complied, the results will be very positive. For the community, awareness of tuberculosis is still not widespread. Many people are not really interested in information about this disease. A tuberculosis patient, if not treated promptly, can infect 10 other people each year. However, due to limited awareness, many families have someone with tuberculosis but do not clearly understand the risk of spreading. If the community raises awareness, proactively screens and treats early, the national tuberculosis prevention program will achieve better results. Currently, the system of facilities, equipment, anti-tuberculosis drugs and treatment regimens are all updated according to international standards. However, the biggest barrier is still the cooperation of patients and the community's awareness of disease prevention" , Meritorious Physician, Doctor Tran Quang Dung advised.

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Performed by Hoang Vu - Lam Khanh

 

Source: https://baocamau.vn/hanh-dong-de-cham-dut-benh-lao-a37949.html