Every year the World Health Organization (WHO) commemorates World TB Day on March 24. This year’s theme, ‘Wanted: Leaders for a TB-free world’, and the slogan, ‘You can make history. End TB’, focus on fostering leadership across the society to end tuberculosis. In the evening of March 23, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) held an “End TB” press conference. A statement symbolizing the joint commitment to end TB was signed by leaders from various sectors, including the Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), the CDC Director-General Chou Jih-haw (周志浩), Legislator Wu Yu-chin (吳玉琴) and Legislator Chen Man-li (陳曼麗) who are members of the Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee, and Dr. Chiang Chen-yuan (江振源) who is the consultant to the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, as well as numerous other international medical experts and association representatives. A giant light display with the logo and slogan “→｜END TB” was switched on for the first time on the walls outside the CDC building to promote public awareness of TB prevention.

At the press conference, Minister Chen pointed out that the government would continue to extend the breadth and depth of its TB prevention policies in order to free citizens from the threat of TB. He expressed his hope that through the joint efforts of the government, the medical profession, academia, and the general public will achieve the goal of ending TB. Dr. Chiang highlighted the achievements of the international fight against TB, and urged any member of the public who develops TB symptoms to seek immediate medical attention and follow the physician’s treatment advice. A student named Mr. Lin shared his personal experience of latent tuberculosis. He said that despite his previous assumption that TB was a disease of the elderly, his experience had taught him that young people should not underestimate its threat. He called on all those who are informed that they may have a TB infection to seek treatment, thereby significantly reducing the risk of developing active tuberculosis, and to urge their schoolmates, friends and family members to do likewise.

Thanks to the efforts of numerous medical institutes and public health agencies, the annual number of new TB cases in Taiwan decreased from 16,472 in 2005 to 9,754 in 2017, dropping below the symbolic figure of 10,000 for the first time. The mortality rate of TB cases also lowered by 40%. Even the number of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis cases treated decreased from 440 in 2007 to 152 in 2017. In addition, the treatment success rate reached around 80%, which is far above the world average of 50%.

Tuberculosis is a preventable and treatable disease. Any member of the public who has been informed of having come in contact with TB should undergo tests provided by public health authorities to assess whether they have latent TB infection. If a latent TB infection is confirmed, immediate medical treatment can reduce the risk of developing active TB. Those already exhibiting symptoms such as coughing up phlegm, coughing continuously for more than 2-3 weeks, chest pain, appetite loss, weight loss, or fever should seek immediate medical attention in order to early detection and treatment, and protect their own health, as well as the health of their family.