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 the 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 6, 2008, an opening ceremony was held at the Hualien Museum of Fine Arts to kick-off the Fair’s stop in Hualien County from June 6 to June 17, 2008.

According to data released by Taiwan CDC, the incidence of TB cases in Hualien County has decreased by 30% over the last four years.In 2004, 563 new TB cases were reported in Hualien County.In 2007, that number dropped to 393, demonstrating that Hualien County’s consistent support for the central government’s Half In Ten Years plan has paid dividends.Hualien County vice-magistrate, Jing-peng Zhu, was on hand at the opening ceremony to cheer the efforts contributed by all of those who work to prevent this disease and to commend some of Hualien County’s outstanding DOTS workers.

At the opening ceremony, DOTS worker A-na Peng recalled one of the most challenging cases she ever handled.The patient was a youngster who lost both of his parents.Every time Ms. Peng sought to administer the TB medicine, the youngster would tell her to “catch me if you can”.Ms. Peng would literally have to chase the little rascal all over the place—even ride her motorcycle to Taroko Gorge to deliver the life-saving medicines.Often, Ms. Peng would even buy snacks to entice the youngster to take the medicine in conformance with the doctor’s orders.One day, Ms. Peng found out that the child had disappeared and could not be found any where.She did not give up on her patient right away.Instead, she looked around for the patient in the neighborhood.After asking around the neighborhood, she discovered that the child had been taken in by the Hualien Buddhist Tzu-Chi Hospital.Immediately, Ms. Peng rode her motorcycle all the way to the hospital to deliver the medicines.Just last month, she delivered the last round of medicines to this special young patient, whose TB is now cured.

Delivering and administering medicines as DOTS workers do on a daily basis sounds like a relatively easy task.But, in fact, such job requires an enormous amount of patience and willpower.For example, DOTS worker Mei-lian Liang is responsible for patients in Hualien County’s Ji-an Township, which includes the villages of Tai-chang, Fu-hsing, Bei-chang, Yong-an, Ji-an, and Sheng-an, covering a vast area.Every day, rain or shine, Ms. Liang selflessly travels 25 to 27 kilometers for her DOTS round to ensure all her patients receive their medicines.

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 moved to Chiayi City and Taoyuan County.