Preventive treatment of tuberculosis in Ukraine: what are the key aspects and benefits
Kyiv • UNN
Experts emphasize the importance of preventive treatment of tuberculosis for risk groups. In Ukraine, conditions have been created for free diagnosis and treatment according to international standards.
Experts have told about the key aspects and benefits of preventive treatment of tuberculosis in Ukraine. This is reported by the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, reports UNN.
Details
Tuberculosis remains one of the main global health problems. According to WHO, approximately a quarter of the world's population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but the disease does not manifest itself clinically. An important part of the fight against this disease is prevention, which helps to reduce the risk of developing an active form of the disease.
One of the most effective methods of prevention is special treatment, which allows preventing the progression of infection in people at high risk. This is an important step in ensuring the health of those who have the opportunity to become ill with tuberculosis due to certain medical or social factors.
Preventive treatment is recommended for people who are in high-risk groups, such as people who are in prolonged contact with patients with the active form of tuberculosis, people with HIV, patients receiving dialysis treatment, or people waiting for organ transplantation. It is important that the presence of an active form of the disease is excluded before the start of prevention.
Advantages of preventive treatment
Preventive treatment has a number of important advantages. First, it reduces the likelihood of developing active tuberculosis in people who have had prolonged contact with patients. Secondly, such therapy plays an important role in the global strategy to combat tuberculosis, significantly reducing the risk of infection progressing to a more dangerous stage. In addition, it helps to reduce the risks of the spread of the disease, especially in conditions of war, when the movement of the population is a risk factor for the mass spread of TB.
All conditions have been created in Ukraine for access to free tuberculosis prevention services. The health care system provides the opportunity to undergo diagnosis and treatment in conditions convenient for people – at the place of residence. Preventive treatment is carried out according to international standards, and the duration of courses usually ranges from one to three months. Treatment can be prescribed by both phthisiologists and family doctors.
Thanks to a decentralized approach, patients can receive preventive treatment without having to change their usual lifestyle. This makes it possible to work, study and live a normal life while being under the supervision of medical specialists.