Last year, Tainan took first place in a county-wide Tuberculosis prevention competition. Compared to 2005, the city dropped its number of new TB cases by 30% and has a Directly Observed Treatment, Short-Course (DOTS) implementation rate of 95%, yielding great results in TB prevention and treatment. This year, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) and the Department of Health, Tainan City Government focused on advocating TB prevention among seniors over the age of 65, a group that makes up more than half of new TB cases. Hence Art against Tuberculosis, a TB awareness and prevention campaign targeting the elderly population and featuring a troupe of veteran artists touring temples across Taiwan. The campaign convened at the Tainan Grand Matsu Temple on Saturday, May 4 where personnel were also on-site to provide the public with free X-ray screenings. In addition to advocating TB prevention, Taiwan CDC also used the campaign to promote preventative habits against H7N9 and dengue fever.

Tainan could not have managed its outstanding achievements without the help of public health nurses and other caregivers. Che Su-Mei, a former accountant and current caregiver, has been implementing the DOTS program in the Gueiren District in Tainan City for three years. She recounted an experience with a 91-year-old patient who was found to have contracted TB after he was discharged from the hospital for diabetes treatment. Believing that he was infected during his stay in the hospital, his family was furious and developed a deep mistrust of medical staff. For her first drug-delivery assignment, Che Su-Mei was charged with tube feeding this 91-year-old TB patient because his family did not know how to administer his medication. One day, Che Su-mei encountered a nasogastric tube blockage during feeding and immediately called a nurse from the public health center who arrived promptly to assist. In addition to taking care of the emotional needs of the family, Che Su-Mei also took the patient to the emergency room, and stayed with the family until nearly midnight. The family could not help but be moved by her heart and dedication, and soon abandoned their prejudice against TB and their distrust of hospital staff to accede their full cooperation. Now, the patient is set to complete TB treatment by the end of July.

This time the Art against Tuberculosis performance troupe included Chin Wei, former show queen Betty, popular singer-movie star Chen Qiong-Mei, along with Si-Ma Yu-Jiao - hostess from Happy Everyday, a popular 80s-90s TV program. Out of these four artists, three have had personal experiences with TB. Chin Wei and Chen Qiong-Mei had contracted the disease as children, during a time when TB patients were subject to intense social pressure because of a general lack of knowledge surrounding the disease, and Si-Ma Yu-Jiao recently discovered that her father had TB after taking him to a hospital visit. Through the art of Shuixuedouchang – a form of comedy and stage acting that mixes singing and witty repartee to deliver a strong social message – Art against Tuberculosis sought to raise awareness and understanding of TB and its prevention.

The Art against Tuberculosis temple-front campaign toured Kaohsiung, New Taipei City and Tainan to enthusiastic public response. Through live interactions with veteran artists, performances and booth games, participants learned about TB, the seven-point screening method, as well as the benefits and importance of early TB diagnosis and treatment.