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TB control strategies are embodied at the individual level and the society and government level. The specific strategies and measures are shown in Table 1.
Level Strategies Measures Individual Universal health promotion Extensive mobilization and participation of the whole society Health education Classified guidance for different groups Society and government A patient-centered approach to TB prevention and control To intensify TB active screening in key areas and high-risk populations To implement standardized TB treatment To improve the diagnosis and treatment level To strengthen the whole process of health management services Government stewardship and commitment Government input and multichannel financing funding mechanism Multisectoral collaboration mechanism To develop a comprehensive national TB strategic plan Table 1. Strategies and measures in the tuberculosis (TB) control action.
Individuals should be primarily responsible for their health. Therefore, at the individual level, the main strategy is universal health promotion through extensive mobilization and participation of the whole society, conducting different forms of health education activities and classified guidance for different groups, and improving the public’s health knowledge and literacy to create positive knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral change for TB control. Core information includes the following: individuals should cover their mouths and noses with hands or tissues while coughing or sneezing; people experiencing coughs for two weeks or more with blood in the sputum should go to TB-designated hospitals promptly; TB patients should take medicine regularly throughout the course of treatment; appropriate isolation measures should be taken by family members when an infectious TB patient is identified; infectious TB patients should avoid going to public places, wear masks when unavoidable, and avoid boarding vehicles with poor ventilation; and individuals should wear masks when in contact with infectious TB patients in both areas at high risk of transmission and elsewhere.
At the society and government level, the TB control strategies are in line with the concept of Health in All policies, SDGs, and End TB Strategy (2–3). The first key strategy is a patient-centered approach to TB prevention and control, which focuses on providing universal access to TB care with greater attention to vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations. This includes improving early diagnosis of TB and systematic TB screening in key areas and high-risk populations such as students, the elderly, and the poor; increasing drug resistance screening to detect the TB patients on time; implementing standardized TB treatment; improving the diagnosis and treatment level; and strengthening the whole process of health management services for TB patients in primary health care institutions.
The second key strategy is government stewardship and commitment, which encompasses measures within and beyond the health sector that will enable effective transformation and strengthening of policies and systems to support TB prevention and control (2–3). This includes building a government input and multichannel financing funding mechanism to ensure sufficient funding for healthcare workers and facilities delivering public health and clinical TB services; building a multisectoral collaboration mechanism led by the NHC; encouraging action by the Ministry of Education, the Medical Insurance Bureau, and the Poverty Alleviation Office based on their respective responsibilities; and developing a comprehensive national TB strategic plan. The Action Plan to Stop TB from 2019 to 2022 was issued by the NHC together with National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Poverty Alleviation Office of the State Council, and the National Healthcare Security Administration in 2019 (12).
TB is a public health problem that can affect anyone anywhere. In order to achieve the goals of ending TB, we should take strategy measures actively guided by the Tuberculosis Control Action to stop the TB epidemic, improve the health of the people, and build a healthy China.
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