Dr Nguyen Viet Nhung, director of the Central Pulmonology Hospital, is one of the 19 members of the first task force on global tuberculosis research founded by the World Health Organisation (WHO). 

The first meeting of the team was held last Frinday at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. 

According to the organisation, Việt Nam is one of the three countries whose research plans for tuberculosis treatment are highly acclaimed. 

Việt Nam’s success in tuberculosis prevention has been recognised nationwide and internationally over the years. Each year, the country detects and provides treatment for 100,000 people with tuberculosis, with a cure rate of over 90 per cent for new cases. 

Most of the new technologies applied in tuberculosis treatment appeared to be effective. Some 6,000 patients who had drug-resistant tuberculosis were admitted for treatment in recent years.

VICTORY, the country’s specialised tuberculosis research co-operation centre, has developed a wide research network for tuberculosis and lung diseases.

The research process provided essential database for the planning of large-scale policies, such as the National Tuberculosis Programme until 2020, with a vision to 2030.

At the meeting, Dr Nhung spoke about the importance of research for the programme and the experiences gained from it.

In June, he was voted as the first Vietnamese to join the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Tuberculosis, which is the highest operating and strategic planning mechanism for tuberculosis control of WHO. 

VNS