Vietnam pledges to end tuberculosis by 2035

The number of tuberculosis detected in the community has exceeded 60%

Dr.BSCC Dinh Van Luong - Director of the Central Lung Hospital, Head of the National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTP) - said: "The epidemic situation of tuberculosis in our country is still very serious. According to estimates by the World Health Organization, Vietnam has about 182,000 new tuberculosis patients; 9,900 patients with resistant to drugs and about 11,000 people who die from tuberculosis each year.

In 2023, Vietnam will be 12/30th country with the highestTB burden in the world and 10/30th country with the highest number of drug-resistantTB patients globally".

According to Dr. Luong, the National Target Law has proposed preventing tuberculosis right at the grassroots health station. The entire health network and medical examination and treatment facilities will deploy public health examination and control in conjunction with the content of detecting, examining and treating tuberculosis. In addition, tuberculosis control is based on the electronic health book management system," said Dr. Luong.

The Head of the Executive Committee of the National Target Program affirmed that Vietnam has only discovered about 60% of tuberculosis patients in the community. If the number of people with tuberculosis in the community is not controlled, the following years will be very difficult for tuberculosis prevention.

"In 2024, the number of public tuberculosis detections exceeded 60%. I hope that in 2025, with the strong implementation of the Prime Minister's Official Dispatch along with tuberculosis control at medical facilities, the number of detected tuberculosis cases will increase. From there, tuberculosis control in Vietnam will be successful and tuberculosis will end soon. ", said Dr.BSCC Dinh Van Luong.

Prof. Dr. Tran Van Thuan - Deputy Minister of Health - said: "Despite many challenges, tuberculosis prevention in Vietnam has still achieved many remarkable results. We have maintained a diabetes prevention network in 100% of communes and wards; ensuring that 100% of the population has access to diabetes prevention services. The success rate of treatment for new and recurring tuberculosis cases remains high, reaching nearly 90%.

2024 also marks the drastic implementation of new technical guidelines of the Ministry of Health, especially the application of advanced techniques and expanding the scope nationwide for Xpert testing - a new generation genetic sequencing to detect early and accurately tuberculosis".

Implementing Vietnam's commitment to end tuberculosis by 2035

Regarding the difficulties that the health sector is facing, the Deputy Minister of Health said: "TB prevention in our country still faces many difficulties and challenges. The rate of tuberculosis patients detected proactively in high-risk groups has not met the plan; the rate of treatment for tuberculosis with Bacterial evidence is still lower than the desired target.

Financial resources, especially from the international budget, are gradually decreasing; ensuring drugs, equipment, and medical supplies is still facing difficulties due to complicated and prolonged procedures, significantly affecting disease detection and treatment activities".

The theme of this year's World Tuberculosis Day is "Vietnam is committed to, invests in, and acts to end tuberculosis". To fulfill Vietnam's commitment to end tuberculosis by 2035, in the coming time, the Deputy Minister of Health directed a number of key tasks:

First, continue to effectively implement advanced technical solutions, proactively detect and manage tuberculosis and resistant tuberculosis patients well, especially focusing on high-risk groups such as the elderly, children, people with chronic diseases and in closed facilities.

Second, strengthen communication and health education, policy mobilization, social mobilization, to eliminate discrimination against people with labor, encourage people to proactively seek and comply with treatment.

Third, ensure sustainable financial resources from central and local budgets, and health insurance; continue to promote socialization, public-private cooperation, and call for support from the international community to invest in upgrading facilities and enhancing the capacity of the diabetes prevention network.

Fourth, consolidate, improve and improve the operational capacity of the grassroots health system, the national health management system associated with the content of detecting, examining and treating tuberculosis.

Fifth, promote scientific research, international cooperation, widely apply technical advances, especially new-generation gene-inter causing technology in diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis.