Pioneering Vietnam prepares for new TB drugs
Later this year, Vietnam will become the first country that treats
multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) cases with new medicines, a health
official has said.
Later this year, Vietnam will become the first country that treats
multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) cases with new medicines, a health
official has said.
Dr. Nguyen Duc Chinh from the management board of the National TB Programme said two new medicines have been accepted so far. By 2018, vaccines that are more potent than Bacillus Calmette-Guerin will be on offer.
Hospitals nationwide are offering currently offering six-month therapy for TB patients, which is expected to be cut down to 3-4 months in the coming time, he said.
Under the national TB prevention strategy until 2020 (with a vision to 2030) recently approved by the Prime Minister, Vietnam is looking to control TB levels to below 20 patients for every 100,000 people by 2030 on the road to eventually eliminating the disease.
By late 2015, the country expects that the numbers of TB sufferers and deaths will be 187 and 18 per 100,000. By 2020, the respective numbers are forecast to be 131 and 10, with the rate of multidrug-resistant TB patients being kept at below 5 percent.
To realise the goal, Vietnam will review and amend policies, raise public awareness of relevant laws, and offer medical check-ups and treatment, especially in remote and mountainous areas.
On top of this, it will join efforts with countries worldwide to detect, treat and curb the cross-border spread of TB. Training courses both at home and abroad will be held while the enforcement of laws on TB prevention will be strengthened.
In the northern province of Ha Nam alone, a TB and lung disease hospital regularly embraces the latest technology and offers advice to patients and their families. It also sends medical staff to tertiary, post-graduate and on-the-job training courses.
Its yearly rate of TB infection is reduced by 3-5 percent. Up to 90 percent of patients with sputum smears that test positive for acid-fast bacilli are treated successfully, while the rate of deaths has been brought down to 0.3 percent. Last year, the province detected and treated over 900 TB patients.
According to the World Health Organisation, Vietnam ranks 12th among the 22 countries most burdened with TB, with some 130,000 new patients, 3,500 sufferers of multidrug-resistant TB, and 18,000 deaths annually.-VNA
Dr. Nguyen Duc Chinh from the management board of the National TB Programme said two new medicines have been accepted so far. By 2018, vaccines that are more potent than Bacillus Calmette-Guerin will be on offer.
Hospitals nationwide are offering currently offering six-month therapy for TB patients, which is expected to be cut down to 3-4 months in the coming time, he said.
Under the national TB prevention strategy until 2020 (with a vision to 2030) recently approved by the Prime Minister, Vietnam is looking to control TB levels to below 20 patients for every 100,000 people by 2030 on the road to eventually eliminating the disease.
By late 2015, the country expects that the numbers of TB sufferers and deaths will be 187 and 18 per 100,000. By 2020, the respective numbers are forecast to be 131 and 10, with the rate of multidrug-resistant TB patients being kept at below 5 percent.
To realise the goal, Vietnam will review and amend policies, raise public awareness of relevant laws, and offer medical check-ups and treatment, especially in remote and mountainous areas.
On top of this, it will join efforts with countries worldwide to detect, treat and curb the cross-border spread of TB. Training courses both at home and abroad will be held while the enforcement of laws on TB prevention will be strengthened.
In the northern province of Ha Nam alone, a TB and lung disease hospital regularly embraces the latest technology and offers advice to patients and their families. It also sends medical staff to tertiary, post-graduate and on-the-job training courses.
Its yearly rate of TB infection is reduced by 3-5 percent. Up to 90 percent of patients with sputum smears that test positive for acid-fast bacilli are treated successfully, while the rate of deaths has been brought down to 0.3 percent. Last year, the province detected and treated over 900 TB patients.
According to the World Health Organisation, Vietnam ranks 12th among the 22 countries most burdened with TB, with some 130,000 new patients, 3,500 sufferers of multidrug-resistant TB, and 18,000 deaths annually.-VNA
You should also see
Vietnamese Deputy PM, Venezuelan President hold talks
Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang held talks with President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro Moros in Caracas on April 18, as part of his ongoing official visit to the Latin American country.
See more
Health
Free surgeries offered for cleft palate children in Thua Thien-Hue
About 80 children with cleft palate in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue and surrounding localities are to receive free check-ups and surgeries from now until April 18.
Health
Vietnam to host first int’l airway management conference
International airway experts from across the world, including the United Kingdom, United States of America, France, Italy, New Zealand, and experts from Vietnam will gather at the first South East Asian Conference of the World Alliance of Airway Management (WAAM) in Hanoi on April 13-14.
Health
Health insurance coverage necessary for all TB patients: Deputy PM
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha on April 8 requested the Ministry of Health to work with the Vietnam Social Security and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to provide health insurance coverage for all tuberculosis (TB) patients.
Health
Blood donation – journey of love sharing
April 7 was designated as the “All People’s Voluntary Blood Donation Day” 24 years ago and, ever since, the blood donation movement has attracted the participation of tens of thousands of people across the country.
Health
Hundreds of thousands to be screened for chronic diseases through AI platforms
Hundreds of thousands of people will be screened for cardiovascular and chronic kidney diseases through AI platforms this year, and over 20,000 patients will be advised to undergo testing to assess chronic kidney disease.
