Nghe An: 100% of districts and communes maintain and develop tuberculosis control networks.

This information was presented at the conference "Review of tuberculosis prevention and control activities in 2017, in response to World Tuberculosis Day - March 24, 2018" organized by the Department of Health in coordination with the Nghe An Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Hospital, on the afternoon of March 16.

According to World Health Organization statistics, Vietnam ranks 15th among the 30 countries with the highest burden of tuberculosis globally. In recent years, the tuberculosis situation in Vietnam has shown a downward trend... This result is due to the efforts of all levels of government, localities, and the entire community in detection, diagnosis, and treatment.

Doctors examine child patients at the Nghe An Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Hospital. Photo: Archival material.

In Nghe An province, under the direction of the National Tuberculosis Control Program, the Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Health, and the Nghe An Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Hospital, various activities have been actively implemented, including: public awareness campaigns; detection, admission and treatment; training, supervision and support for lower-level facilities, etc.

As a result, tuberculosis control efforts have been maintained in 100% of districts and communes in the area, and the tuberculosis control network continues to develop.

The province's tuberculosis control program has achieved positive results, including: expanding the application of advanced techniques in diagnosing tuberculosis and drug-resistant tuberculosis; being one of the first provinces to apply a process for managing and treating patients with pre-extensively drug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis using individualized regimens; having the highest rate of detection and prophylactic treatment for children exposed to sources of infection nationwide; and receiving high praise from the National Tuberculosis Control Program for all professional performance indicators.

Dr. Dau Huy Hoan – Deputy Director of the Department of Health, Deputy Head of the Steering Committee for the Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Program of Nghe An province – highly appreciated the results achieved by the province's tuberculosis control program and acknowledged the contributions of the units and staff directly involved in tuberculosis prevention and control. Photo: Dinh Nguyet

2017,in Nghe An,The sputum testing rate per population remained high at 1.4%, an increase of 0.28% compared to 2016. The number of tuberculosis patients receiving treatment was 2,604, a decrease of 8.7% compared to 2016. The number of tuberculosis patients with bacterial evidence was 1,304, a decrease of 9.3% compared to 2016. The number of tuberculosis patients tested for HIV reached 96.5%. The number of pediatric tuberculosis patients decreased by 48% compared to 2016. The cure rate reached 90%, and the dropout rate (without follow-up) was below 1%.

Despite the achievements, tuberculosis prevention and control in Nghe An still faces several challenges, including: limited funding for the National Target Program on Tuberculosis Prevention and Control; an increasing trend in the number of drug-resistant tuberculosis patients and tuberculosis/HIV patients; relatively low tuberculosis detection rates at the grassroots level; ineffective counseling, screening, and INH prophylaxis for children in some districts; and a continued tendency among the population to conceal their illness and self-medicate.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Dau Huy Hoan – Deputy Director of the Department of Health and Deputy Head of the Steering Committee for the Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Program of Nghe An province – highly appreciated the results achieved by the province's tuberculosis control program and acknowledged the contributions of the units and staff directly involved in tuberculosis prevention and control. Launching the campaign in response to World Tuberculosis Day on March 24, 2018, representatives of the Steering Committee for the Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Program of Nghe An province called on all levels of government, organizations, and the entire population to actively participate in tuberculosis prevention and control activities.

Dr. Dau Minh Quang, Director of the Nghe An Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Hospital, launched a fundraising program for the "Tuberculosis Patients Conquer Tuberculosis" fund. Photo: Dinh Nguyet

Building on the achievements already made, Nghe An province has set forth key tasks in tuberculosis prevention and control: Continuing to strengthen the tuberculosis control network and improve operational efficiency at all levels; promoting disease detection and diagnosis, increasing the sputum testing rate per capita; effectively implementing patient admission, treatment management, and counseling for HIV screening and testing for tuberculosis patients; strengthening communication efforts to raise public awareness about the disease, combat stigma, and highlight the benefits of early access to screening services.

The targets set for 2018 were: a cure rate of over 90%, a dropout rate of less than 0.85%; and HIV testing and counseling for over 90% of tuberculosis patients...

Delegates attending the ceremony and medical staff contributed funds to purchase health insurance cards for impoverished patients. Photo: Dinh Nguyet

At the ceremony, the Steering Committee for Tuberculosis Prevention and Control in Nghe An province launched a fundraising program called "Tuberculosis Patients Conquer Tuberculosis". Accordingly, delegates attending the ceremony and medical staff have contributed and will continue to contribute funds to purchase health insurance cards for poor patients.

The Department of Health awarded certificates of commendation to three individuals for their outstanding achievements in tuberculosis prevention and control in 2017. Photo: Dinh Nguyet

On this occasion, the Department of Health awarded certificates of merit to 3 individuals for their outstanding achievements in tuberculosis prevention and control in 2017; 3 collectives and 4 individuals received certificates of merit from the Nghe An Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Hospital.