At the event, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said that Vietnam is one of the countries with the most efforts and effectiveness in the prevention of tuberculosis, but every year there are still 120,000 people infected with TB, 12,000 people dying of tuberculosis (1.5 times more people died of traffic accidents).
TB detection rate in the world is 61% while the rate in Vietnam is 81%. Therefore, Vietnam needs to take stronger and more effective actions to stop tuberculosis by 2030.
Affirming Vietnam's commitment to the international community on the goal of ending tuberculosis by 2030, the Deputy PM asked the health sector to communicate knowledge on tuberculosis and mobilise the whole of society to joint hands and resources towards the goal of ending TB in Vietnam in the near future.
Furthermore, Vietnam needs to strengthen the financial mechanisms, apply new techniques towards the early detection and treatment of tuberculosis, form programmes to support patients, and mobilise the participation of the whole society through information technology, he added.
The Deputy Prime Minister concluded that the end of tuberculosis is not only an effort for Vietnam but also the whole world. It is necessary to join hands with different community groups in one region, one country and the world, he said.
On this occasion, in order to mobilise the people of the whole country to support and help people with tuberculosis to overcome the disease and integrate into the community, the Vietnam National Lung Hospital, the National Anti-Tuberculosis Programme, and the TB Patients Support Fund has cooperated with the National Humanitarian Portal 1400 to kick off a charity text message drive from March 10 to May 9.
