Korea unveils new measures to combat TB

The South Korean government released Monday a set of anti-tuberculosis measures as part of efforts to better fight the disease.

“The ministry will strengthen efforts to achieve the goals of the first five-year anti-tuberculosis plan,” Health and Welfare Minister Moon Hyung-pyo said in a ceremony marking National Tuberculosis Prevention Day.

Last year, the government released the first comprehensive plan to halve the disease occurrence rate to 50 patients per 100,000 Koreans by 2020. As of 2011, Korea’s tuberculosis occurrence rate was the highest among OECD countries, with 100 patients per 100,000 people. This is 7.8 times higher than the OECD average.

The ministry will conduct a check on patients from May and monitor those who have come into contact with patients. For patients with contagious tuberculosis, the ministry will check whether they are taking medicine.

To block the disease from spreading among teenagers, the government will expand the number of on-site investigations from 500 to 1,500 this year. The probe will include non-contagious tuberculosis patients. Previous investigations were limited to contagious tuberculosis patients.

The health authorities will also launch a pilot project for intensive care for high school students. The ministry will check whether students have a cryptogenic infection with no symptoms through regular checkups and continue monitoring students exposed to infection.

From July, mayors and governors will order medical institutions to keep tuberculosis patients isolated if they refuse hospitalization. Hospitals that do not report tuberculosis cases will face penalties such as suspension of public subsidies.

By Lee Hyun-jeong (rene@heraldcorp.com)