Detecting tuberculosis (TB) cases at an early date requires efforts of not only the health sector but also the entire community, heard a meeting of the National Steering Committee for TB Prevention and Control in Hanoi on March 9.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, Chairman of the National Steering Committee
for TB Prevention and Control, speaks at the meeting. (Photo: VNA) 

Delegates shared the views that new equipment, drugs, vaccines and approaches would support the early detection and treatment.

They agreed on the need to step up strategic solutions, create breakthroughs in relevant laws and policies, enhance international cooperation, and intensify the communication work.

The move aims to basically eliminate the disease by 2030.

By 2020, Vietnam expects to reduce 20% of TB infections and 40% of TB mortalities.

Nguyen Viet Nhung, Director of the National Lung Diseases Hospital, quoted international experts as saying that Vietnam is on the right track to wipe out the disease.

He, however, pointed out a range of challenges to the National TB Programme such as how to ensure a sustainable source of medicines and call for public response to the work.

Statistics show that Vietnam spots more than 100,000 TB patients or 57% of the total cases each year. The country has a high TB cure rate (90%) as compare with the world’s average (56%).

The World Health Organisation (WHO)’s report unveils that the country recorded 174,000 new TB cases in 2018, with about 11,000 fatalities.