Hanoi (VNA) –Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam on July 26 hosted a reception for TerezaKasaeva, Director of the the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s GlobalTuberculosis (TB) Programme.

The Deputy PMrecognised the success of the Global TB Programme in activities to erase TBglobally. With the support of the programme, the prevention and control of TBin Vietnam has seen progress in terms of technique, technology and implementation,he said.

Each year, Vietnamgives treatment to over 100,000 TB patients. The diagnosis ratio of new TB caseshas reached 81 percent, higher than the average ratio of 61 percent across theworld, he noted.

As many as 90 percentof TB patients who were diagnosed for the first time were able to completelyget rid of the disease, while over 75 percent of the 12,019 multi-drug-resistantTB patients have been treated successfully, far above the world’s average of 52percent.

Currently, the nationalprogramme against TB in Vietnam has succeeded in dealing with alldrug-resistant TB types, Deputy PM Dam said, adding that research andexperiment activities have targeted the settlement of TB risks in affected communities,which is expected to sharply reduce new TB cases.

According to theDeputy PM, although Vietnam is seen as a model in TB combat, the country stillfaces many challenges in the work.

Vietnam still ranks 16thin the world in terms of TB patients, and 13th in drug-resistant TB cases.

It is estimated that globallyin 2017, there were 126,000 new cases diagnosed, with 13,000 people dying fromthe disease.

The VietnameseGovernment’s national strategy on TB prevention and control underlined the intersectionalresponsibilities of several sectors and the whole of society, with manyresources having been given to the work.

Vietnam has supportedand engaged in the WHO initiative of “Find, Treat, Cure TB”, launched by theWHO and the TB Alliance, with the aim of screening and treating as many TB patientsas possible in order to end the transmission sources, and thus eliminate thedisease.

Hailing Vietnam’s achievementsin fighting TB, Kasaeva said that Vietnam is one of the leading countries inimplementing strategies to end TB, paving the way for other countries in WestPacific region, and the world, in the field.

The Global TBProgramme commits to strongly supporting and cooperating with Vietnam inefforts to erase TB as a preventable and curable disease, she stated. –VNA