Plan to Halve TB in 10 Years: Review and Prospect

Pei-Ling Chen, Chien-Bang Hsu, Kwei-Feng Wang,Yen-Fang Huang, Chang-Hsun Chan

2014 Vol.30 NO.5

Correspondence Author： Pei-Ling Chen

Abstract：

      International organizations including UN, WHO, and Stop TB partnership, are now coordinating in tackling tuberculosis (TB) and helping to build a TB-free world. World economic forum (WEF) also considers TB as one of crucial determinants to global competitiveness. In Taiwan, TB poses a significant threat to not only public health and social productivity, but also to the country’s image.

      The Executive Yuan first approved “National Mobilization Plan to Halve TB in 10 Years” in 2006 and subsequently phase 2 plan in 2010. Seven years after the plan being enacted, TB incidence rate declined from 72.5 to 53 per 100,000 from 2005 to 2013, while mortality rate also decreased from 4.3 to 2.7 per 100,000 from 2005 to 2013. Our efforts in implementing strategies to stop TB are affirmed by international experts.

      Control and prevention of TB requires a platform of coordinated support of public health, medical and laboratory systems. “The plan to halve TB in 10 years” was accordingly aiming at developing a comprehensive national program to strengthen resources across all levels of these systems, with priority given to improvement of case management, medical practice quality, and prevention of TB in high-risk populations. This article focuses on several significant TB control measures in Taiwan, inclusive of “DOTS program”, “air travel restriction policy”, “MDR-TB medical care system”, “enhancement of contact investigation”, “latent TB infection treatment program” and “broadening of active case finding in high risk population ”, through actions of implementing these programs, our society is moving towards a world free of TB.