Delegates at a conference in Ha Noi on August 15 discussed measures to complete tuberculosis (TB) treatment facilities in 15 provinces that have yet to build special hospitals for this disease.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

Associate Prof. Dr. Nguyen Viet Nhung, Director of the National Lung Hospital and head of the National TB Prevention Programme, suggested the localities that are constructing TB hospitals soon put these facilities into operation.

Meanwhile, other provinces should set up TB and lung centres equipped with patient beds, TB and lung centres or departments at general hospitals, and TB or TB-HIV departments at provincial disease control centres, he said.

The conference was held in the context that Viet Nam is ranked 16 among 30 countries worldwide with the highest number of TB patients, and 15 out of 30 countries with the highest multidrug-resistant TB burden.

Globally, TB is the second leading cause of deaths among infectious diseases, killing about 1.6 million people each year.

Each day, nearly 4,500 people lose their lives due to TB, and close to 30,000 people contract this preventable and curable disease, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

In Viet Nam, the number of TB patients dropped by 31 percent between 2007-2017.

The figure fell more rapidly in recent years, especially after the Prime Minister issued the National Strategy for TB Prevention and Control by 2020 with a vision towards 2030.

The resolution adopted at the sixth plenum of the 12^th Party Central Committee also sets the target of basically putting an end to TB in Viet Nam by 2030.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has recently approved the establishment of a national committee on TB eradication.

Headed by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, the committee is designed to have a maximum of 20 members. Its operation will be supported by the same apparatus that has been running projects for the National Committee for AIDS, Drugs and Prostitution Prevention and Control.

(Source: VNA)