Multidrug-resistant strains of tuberculosis are affecting around 5,000people each year, while the rate of tuberculosis sufferers infectedwith HIV has climbed up to 8.1 percent in 2009 compared with 5 percentthe previous year.
The officials told a conference, which was held to review the resultsof the national anti-tuberculosis programme, that the number of newtuberculosis patients between 15 and 24-years old is growing.
Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thi Xuyen said that to achieve thetargets of the national anti-tuberculosis programme during 2010, theCentral Lung Hospital needs to build an anti-tuberculosis network on anational scale and provide more equipment and personnel for hospitalsat grassroots levels.
Calling for further support and assistance from organisations both athome and abroad for the work will also be another major task, thedeputy minister said./.