CRI听力:China Enhances TB Control Efforts ahead of World Tuberculosis Day

The Chinese Ministry of Health recently initiated a "100-1,000-10,000" volunteer campaign to spread knowledge regarding tuberculosis in order to effectively prevent an epidemic.

The "100-1000-10,000" activity refers to mobilizing 100 volunteers on the national level, 1,000 volunteers at the provincial level and 10,000 volunteers at the city and county level to tell citizens about the ways to identify people with symptoms of TB and carry out preventive measures accordingly.

Li Liang, secretary-general of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training on Tuberculosis, joined the launch ceremony of the campaign in Beijing. He added that the institution at which he works, the Beijing Chest Hospital, also known as the Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor Research Institute, began providing free medical treatment and consultation services against tuberculosis as of Friday.

"Each year, the number of newly discovered tuberculosis cases in China is around one million, making up one seventh of the total number of TB cases found worldwide. In a bid to curb its spread, our hospital has organized famous medical and surgical experts to offer free medical treatment against TB around March 24, after the hospital initiated the practice five years ago."

The Chinese government designed the theme for this year's World Tuberculosis Day, summed up by the slogan, "Let's make concerted efforts to eliminate tuberculosis." Considerable attention has been given to migrant workers, who are at greater risk of contracting the disease in China in recent years, as large farming populations throng into big cities in the hope of earning a better living.

Doctor Li Liang explained why migrant workers appear especially vulnerable to the disease.

"Their irregular, unhealthy lifestyle, nutritional deficiency and intense pressure from work alongside high-density living conditions are the major causes for this group being infected with the disease. It's also believed that this group is the leading cause of the tuberculosis epidemic in China."

Aside from Beijing, Hunan Province in central China, which has a relatively higher rate of TB prevalence compared to other provinces, recently announced the launch of a special program in a number of hospitals in the cities of Changsha, Yueyang, Yiyang and Zhuzhou. The program enables each multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis patient to receive free medical treatment worth around 40,000 yuan.

Meanwhile, migrant workers who work and live in Hunan will also enjoy full access to free health care services in the areas of TB screening and treatment if they are diagnosed with the disease.

In addition, medical experts also remind citizens that good, healthy habits like "opening windows for ventilation" are necessary for the prevention of TB, as it is an airborne disease which spreads easily in enclosed environments. People are also urged to remember to carry out physical exercise, as this is extremely helpful in warding off the disease.

For CRI, I'm Xu Fei.