Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has issued Directive 25 on enhancing tuberculosis prevention and control efforts, local media reported.
The order came as the World Health Organization’s 2023 report still ranked Vietnam 11th among 30 countries with the highest tuberculosis burden and drug-resistant tuberculosis worldwide.
Under the latest Directive, Chairpersons of Provincial People's Committees under the Central Government have been instructed to bolster the capacity of the healthcare system, both public and private, particularly at grassroots medical facilities, in detecting, managing, treating, and preventing tuberculosis.
The Minister of Health is tasked with summarizing the implementation of the National Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Strategy for the period up to 2020 and its vision for 2030. Based on this, proposals should be made to the Prime Minister for the issuance of a new National Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Strategy. Additionally, the Minister must review, develop, and update specialized guidelines on tuberculosis detection, diagnosis, treatment, management, and prevention.
The Minister of Information and Communications, along with the Minister of Health, the Director-General of Vietnam Television, Radio The Voice of Vietnam, Vietnam News Agency, and other press agencies, as well as the Chairpersons of Provincial People's Committees, have directed media and communication agencies to intensify dissemination efforts regarding the burden of tuberculosis and tuberculosis prevention and control.
Vietnam is estimated to detect over 100,000 tuberculosis patients annually, with a treatment success rate of over 90%. However, the annual tuberculosis-related mortality remains high, at around 13,000 people, with many cases within the community still undetected.
(Tin Tuc [1], Dang Cong San [2], VTV [3])