Effectiveness of tuberculosis treatment in the community

In recent times, in Ba Vi and Chuong My districts, the management and treatment of tuberculosis patients in the community has been coordinated smoothly and effectively by health facilities; 100% of tuberculosis patients have been detected, received, and managed for treatment.

In communes and towns, there are specialized staff and a network of collaborators to manage, monitor and support patients during the treatment process. 100% of units perform direct staining techniques at the Medical Center (TTYT). Up to now, patients have complied with treatment, responded to medication and the disease has not progressed.

For the past 4 months, patient NTN (Thuy Xuan Tien commune, Chuong My) has been treated for tuberculosis at Xuan Mai General Clinic. “Every month, I come to receive medicine as prescribed by the doctor. Currently, my health has many positive changes. The doctor examined and assessed that my lungs have improved a lot as the symptoms of cough, shortness of breath, and chest tightness have almost disappeared” – Ms. N. shared.

Mr. CHH (Dong Thai commune, Ba Vi district) often has chest pain, coughs a lot, has difficulty breathing, and is diagnosed with tuberculosis. He is currently being managed, monitored, and treated at the Ba Vi District Health Center. Every month, he goes to the Health Center to get medicine and receive advice to avoid spreading the disease to his family and the community.

Doctor Nguyen Thi Hong - Department of Disease Control, Ba Vi District Medical Center - in charge of tuberculosis prevention and control said that currently, Ba Vi District Medical Center is managing more than 30 patients with tuberculosis (pulmonary tuberculosis, extrapulmonary tuberculosis, drug-resistant tuberculosis).

Every year, the district health center organizes activities to examine, detect early, and effectively treat tuberculosis patients. In particular, the unit coordinates with Hanoi Lung Hospital to conduct screening examinations in Tan Linh commune for 177 subjects such as X-ray; AFB testing directly detected 1 positive case; 26 people were injected with Mantoux, of which, 1 case was positive.

Drug distribution is guaranteed, 100% of TB patients are managed, monitored and treated according to the regimen, and are cared for attentively, ensuring that they take the correct dose and time of medication. All patients have good treatment awareness, and no case of treatment discontinuation. In 2024, 57 patients completed treatment.

Recently, Chuong My District Health Center has strengthened the TB prevention team (including 1 doctor, 1 laboratory technician, 1 nurse and 30 medical staff in charge of the TB program at the Health Station (CHT) of Xuan Mai General Clinic. Full equipment and machinery are available to serve the examination, testing and treatment of TB patients transferred from higher levels for treatment.

Maintain the tuberculosis prevention network

Doctor Le Doan Manh - Head of Xuan Mai Regional General Clinic - Head of the Tuberculosis Control Team, Chuong My District Medical Center said that currently, the District Medical Center is managing 91 tuberculosis patients, including 67 pulmonary tuberculosis patients and 24 extrapulmonary tuberculosis patients.

After being prescribed treatment at a higher level hospital, patients are transferred to the TB team for continued management, examination and treatment, and medication once a month. After that, patients are transferred to the health station to manage medication and monitor patients to take medication regularly, on time, and in the correct dose.

During treatment, patients adhere to the treatment regimen and continue taking medication as prescribed. Many TB patients are detected early and cured completely.

From the beginning of 2025 until now, the TB team has admitted 41 TB patients; examined 443 suspected TB patients, tested 192 sputum samples and taken X-rays for many suspected cases...

At the end of the treatment course, 69% of patients recovered; 31% of patients completed treatment; no patients dropped out of treatment. The district is currently managing 4 drug-resistant tuberculosis patients (patients take medication under the supervision of TB specialists at the commune level).

However, according to Deputy Director of Ba Vi District Health Center Ha Ke Tiep, tuberculosis prevention and control work in the area still faces many difficulties in terms of funding, detecting patients in the community... Because the district is quite large and has ethnic minorities, screening and early detection of patients is very difficult.

Besides some people do not fully understand about tuberculosis; there are many prejudices and social stigmas, leading to people with the disease often feeling inferior and hiding their illness. Some people are subjective, not proactive in going to medical facilities for screening, early detection and treatment of tuberculosis.

Director of Hanoi Lung Hospital Nguyen Van Dong - Head of the City's TB Prevention and Control Center said that in 2024, Hanoi's TB Prevention and Control Center has promoted proactive screening activities; maintained a model of proactive TB detection in the community on a large scale; piloted a model of ending TB in each locality with support from projects; integrated screening for lung diseases, hypertension, diabetes, etc.

In particular, recently, Hanoi Lung Hospital has coordinated with medical facilities to actively screen tuberculosis patients, using the 2X strategy (X-ray + Xpert) to promptly detect and treat many tuberculosis patients, contributing to limiting new sources of infection in the community.

To improve the effectiveness of tuberculosis prevention activities, by 2025, Hanoi TB Control Center has set 6 specific goals. In particular, Hanoi TB Control Center will maintain the TB prevention network from the city level to 30 districts, towns and 100% of communes and wards; examine and detect 85,000 people with suspected tuberculosis; admit and treat 5,120 people with tuberculosis of all types: sensitive tuberculosis, drug-resistant tuberculosis, latent tuberculosis.