UCAN REPORT: Catholic and Buddhist health care workers from central Vietnam have undergone a program to care for abandoned tuberculosis (TB) patients.
“We are happy to work with the government to help patients and prevent the disease from spreading,” said Kim Long clinic director Sister Benedictine Nguyen Thi Dien.
Fifty Religious attended the workshop held by the health department and HIV/AIDS prevention center in Hue city, Thua Thien-Hue province, on Nov. 1.
According to Sister Dien, local people avoid contact with and discriminate against TB and HIV/AIDS patients.
“We want to see closer cooperation to fight the infectious disease,” said Tran Thi Ngoc, doctor and director of the HIV/AIDS prevention center.
She said the nuns have good relationships with patients and able to convince other villagers to respect and look after them.
Tran Vinh Cuu, a patient, said Catholic nuns have looked after him every day at the hospital after his family deserted him.
The doctor said the workshop aims to provide workers with practical treatment skills, find solutions to prevent local breakout and educate people about the disease.
Since 2009, Thua Thien-Hue province has only recorded 1,200 cases because patients were afraid of rejection upon exposing their illness.
Tuberculosis is a common and often deadly infectious disease caused by strains of mycobacteria.
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