About 24 percent of tuberculosis (TB) patients in Ho Chi Minh City show symptoms of drug or multi-drug resistance. (Source: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – About 24 percent of tuberculosis (TB) patients in Ho Chi Minh City show symptoms of drug or multi-drug resistance, heard a conference on December 29, which overviewed TB prevention and treatment in Ho Chi Minh City throughout 2017.
The city recorded 16,452 TB patients in 2017. The rate of TB cases in the city was 196 in every 100,000 residents on average, much higher than the national average of 110/100,000.
Doctor Dang Minh Duong from the Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital attributed the drug resistance to the patients’ neglect and failure to complete treatment courses, which often leads to more severe health conditions. He said it takes between three and six months for TB to show symptoms.
He pointed to the fact that many hold wrong perception of tuberculosis. They think only poor people or those with weak immune system contract the disease, thus fail to take prompt preventive measures or adhere to treatment regime, Duong added.
Also in 2017, 282 local children were diagnosed with tuberculosis.-VNA
VNA
