In order to help the public gain a better understanding of tuberculosis (TB) and learn how to prevent this deadly infectious disease, as well as to strengthen the effectiveness of Taiwan Centers for Diseases Control’s (Taiwan CDC) Reduction of Tuberculosis by Half in Ten Years plan, Taiwan CDC is organizing a Stop TB Traveling Fair.On June 20, an opening ceremony was held in the Main Hall in the Chiayi City Government Office Building to kick-off the Fair’s stop in Chiayi City from June 20 to June 27, 2008.

Last year, Chiayi City reported 58 cases of AFB smear-positive TB.Of these, 56, or 96.6%, participated in the DOTS program, and many of them have already completed their therapy and no longer pose risk of infection.This year, to increase the effectiveness of its efforts, the Chiayi City Bureau of Health has included AFB culture-positive patients in the DOTS program.Currently, 132 patients are being monitored for TB and, of these, 98 are smear-positive or culture-positive.In addition, five DOTS workers are responsible for the care of these patients.

At the opening ceremony, Mayor Min-hui Huang personally praised DOTS worker Su-hua Huang, who joined the DOTS program in 2007.During her participation in the program, 10 of her patients have completed their therapy.At present, she is overseeing another 19 TB patients.To fulfill her DOTS duties, everyday she heads out at 7:30 a.m. to start her 20- to 30-kilometer route.

One of Ms. Huang’s patients was estranged from his family and was left to care for himself.Upon learning of his plight, Ms. Huang, acting out of compassion and concern for the elderly, brought him food at the same time that she delivered his TB medication.Moreover, she also helped him apply for welfare assistance.Her compassion helped establish trust with this patient.Under Ms. Huang’s care, the patient successfully completed his therapy.

To further strengthen its TB prevention efforts, the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2006, announced its Stop TB strategy, which seeks, among other things, to establish a global TB-prevention network and reduce, by 2015, the prevalence of and death due to TB by 50% relative to 1990.On World TB Day, Taiwan CDC and Global Stop TB Partnership issued the “I am Stopping TB.” pronouncement, which called on people not to fear TB and to seek early diagnosis when TB symptoms appear and to treat TB early to prevent further transmission. The initial focus of the Half in Ten Years plan’s prevention efforts is on expanding and enhancing the DOTS program to improve drug compliance among TB patients and to prevent further spread of the deadly disease.In the DOTS program, DOTS workers are responsible for ensuring that TB patients take appropriate dosages of anti-TB medicines at the appropriate times, which have proven to be effective at increasing TB cure rates.

The Stop TB Traveling Fair has six main exhibits:The TB Prevention Maze, The Magic Stop TB Carousel, The TB Cases Free-Fall, The DOTS Express Train, The Stop TB International Cooperation Balloon, and The TB Prevention Video Experience.Through these entertaining exhibits, people can learn all the information they need to know about TB, including the history and current status of the Half in Ten Years program in Taiwan and around the world.People of all ages are invited to attend the Stop TB Traveling Fair and learn more about how you can help stop TB.

In the near future, the Stop TB Traveling Fair will be moving to Taoyuan County.