Effectiveness of screening and active detection of tuberculosis in the community

According to the report, on average, Gia Lai province detects about 650 tuberculosis patients of all types each year, including over 400 pulmonary tuberculosis patients; the detection rate of tuberculosis of all types is about 44-50/100,000 people. The trend of detecting tuberculosis patients tends to decrease, but the situation of sources of infection in the community is still high, and drug-resistant tuberculosis patients are still a difficult problem in tuberculosis prevention and control in Gia Lai province.

People of Phu Can commune, Krong Pa district, during free TB screening in the community

Faced with this situation, the Gia Lai Provincial Department of Health has strengthened tuberculosis prevention and control, focusing on examination, detection and treatment, prioritizing the enhancement of tuberculosis detection, especially proactive detection in the community using the 2X testing strategy. Strengthening propaganda to raise awareness among all classes of people, especially those with high-risk behaviors, people living in remote areas, ethnic minorities about tuberculosis and tuberculosis prevention and control measures. At the same time, eliminating stigma and discrimination against people with tuberculosis; mobilizing policies, resources from the Central and local levels and mobilizing the community to participate in proactive, active detection and treatment of tuberculosis.

In recent times, Gia Lai Provincial Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Hospital has coordinated with Medical Centers and units to conduct many proactive TB screening sessions in districts across the province using the 2X strategy. Within the framework of the project "Strengthening the community system to end TB" supported by the Center for Supporting Community Development Initiatives (SCDI), the Hospital has coordinated to conduct screening in 3 districts of Krong Pa, Duc Co and Ia Pa with a total of 38 sessions. The results showed that nearly 11,700 people in the 3 districts were tested for X-rays and 126 active TB patients (patients infected with TB bacteria and multiplying, developing, causing TB) and 104 latent TB cases (patients infected with TB bacteria but only residing, not yet multiplying, developing into TB).

Krong Pa district is one of the districts with a high number of cases. Specifically, in 2022, 67 active TB cases and 70 latent TB cases were detected; but in the first 9 months of the year, 68 active TB cases and 76 latent TB cases were detected.

Mobile X-ray vehicle at free examination points

As a TB specialist at the Krong Pa District Health Center, Ksor Dhun often goes to villages and communes to examine people for TB. With the support of the project "Strengthening the community system to end TB", many free screening sessions in the community were organized and more TB patients were detected. At the screening sessions, each person has a clinical examination code, the doctors are local people, speaking the local language to be able to exploit the maximum symptoms of the people such as fever, cough, contact with TB patients... Then they are transferred to the imaging area by the mobile X-ray vehicle of Gia Lai Tuberculosis and Lung Hospital. When the results are available, the doctors will screen and advise the people on health care; if there are suspicious signs, the fluid will be taken and sent to the lab of Gia Lai Tuberculosis and Lung Hospital for Xpert testing to confirm whether the patient has TB or not.

After detecting a new TB patient, the village health department will invite all family members of the patient to be screened, tested, and given injections to find potential TB carriers and promptly treat them to prevent them from developing into TB. At the same time, the patient will be instructed to comply with treatment, live in isolation, and prevent infection to others.

“Previously, people only went to the doctor when they were sick. Or when they had a cough or fever, they only went to the health station and were given regular medicine by doctors without detecting tuberculosis. Therefore, organizing examinations and implementing the 2X strategy including on-site X-rays using a mobile digital X-ray vehicle and Xpert testing is an effective solution, increasing the ability to proactively detect early tuberculosis and latent tuberculosis in the community. From there, patients can be admitted for treatment and quickly cut off the source of infection and the risk of tuberculosis infection becoming tuberculosis,” said Dr. Ksor Dhun.

Ms. Kso H'Chuyên (born in 1973, Tang village, Phu Can commune) was very happy when she had an X-ray at a free screening session at the end of September. The results showed that she no longer had any signs of tuberculosis bacteria in her body. She said that last year, she felt cough, tired, and had difficulty breathing but did not go to the doctor. When there was a free tuberculosis screening session at the commune, she went for a check-up. A few days later, the village health worker informed her that she had tuberculosis. "I don't know where I got it from. No one in my family has tuberculosis. After that, I was taken to the district for a check-up and every month I went to get free medicine at the commune health station for 6 months. I no longer have a cough. Today, the doctor announced that I am cured. I am very happy," Ms. Kso H'Chuyên excitedly said.

Article and photos: QUYNH HOA

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