Recognizing the importance of media and journalism in tuberculosis prevention and control efforts, on World Tuberculosis Day, March 24th, SCDI organized a journalist field trip to Krông Pắc district and Ea Yiêng commune, Đắk Lắk province. This activity aimed to help the journalist gain a deeper understanding of tuberculosis prevention and control efforts and their role and contributions to overall healthcare, thereby enhancing journalist participation in promoting tuberculosis response at both provincial and national levels.

Photo: Journalist interviewing tuberculosis specialist in Ea Yiêng commune

In Dak Lak province, SCDI has been implementing community healthcare activities since 2018 with the project "Enhancing community participation in malaria prevention and elimination activities in Vietnam". Since May 2022, SCDI has been collaborating with Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Hospital in Dak Lak, district health centres and commune health stations to carry out tuberculosis prevention and control activities, continuing to improve the quality of health care for people in the province. As of December 2023, 44 community tuberculosis screening sessions have been organized, helping to detect 70 active tuberculosis patients and connect them to timely treatment.
Ea Yiêng commune and Krông Pắc district are among the remote and economically disadvantaged areas with limited access to information and tuberculosis prevention and treatment services due to most of the population not using the national language. During the field trip, SCDI, along with Suc khoe doi song Newspaper - mouthpiece of the Ministry of Health, Dai doan ket newspaper (under Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee), VOV1, Dak Lak Newspaper, and VOV Central Highlands (government press agencies), had the opportunity to work and interview representatives from Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Hospital in Dak Lak, leaders of district/commune health centres, and tuberculosis specialists to understand the tuberculosis situation and prominent challenges in the locality. In addition, the field team had the opportunity to chat and visit community members' homes with the Community System to End TB (CSET) network, helping to bring the stories of tuberculosis patients and those affected by tuberculosis difficulties to the broader community.

Photo: Commune TB specialist and member of Community System to End TB (CSET) provide guidance to patients on medication usage at home.

In conjunction with the field trip, SCDI collaborates with the leadership of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Hospitals in Dak Lak to enhance the effectiveness of the partnership between SCDI and the local authorities in screening and prevention, supporting adherence to TB treatment, and organizing nutritional support activities for TB patients facing difficulties at the hospital.

Photo: SCDI staff and journalists working with representatives of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Hospitals in Dak Lak.

Photo: Ms Nguyen Thi Kim Dung, Health and Social Protection Program Manager at SCDI, giving milk to tuberculosis patients undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Photo: Ms Nguyen Thi Hoai Thuong, SCDI officer, is giving milk to tuberculosis patients undergoing treatment at the hospital.