Image to help understand the article
National tuberculosis cases fall sharply
South Korea recorded 17,070 tuberculosis cases in 2025, down 66.2% from 50,491 in 2011, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
Health officials credit the decline in part to a nationwide program linking specialized treatment at hospitals with community-based follow-up by local public health centers. The system is designed to help patients remain in treatment and reduce the risk that they stop taking medication before completing it.
The agency and the Korean Academy of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases will review that progress at a national conference on Nov. 3 while discussing longer-term strategies for patients who require more intensive support, including older adults, foreign residents and people with drug-resistant tuberculosis.
Hospitals and public health centers share care
The initiative, known in English as the Private-Public Mix, or PPM, began as a pilot program at 11 medical institutions in 2007 and expanded nationwide in 2011. Participating institutions increased from 97 in 2011 to 164 in 2020, with 178 expected to take part in 2026.
Last year, 174 participating hospitals treated and managed 12,934 tuberculosis patients, representing 75.8% of all reported cases. In practice, that means roughly three out of every four patients received care through the PPM system.
At hospitals, nurses assigned specifically to tuberculosis cases monitor medication use and side effects. Local public health workers follow patients at risk of interrupting treatment and manage people who have been in contact with them. That support continues until treatment is completed.
Focus turns to drug-resistant tuberculosis
Officials are also strengthening care for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, which is resistant to both isoniazid and rifampin, two central drugs used to treat the disease. Such cases are more difficult to treat, require longer and more complicated regimens, and need sustained specialist oversight.
Since 2020, the government has designated medical institutions specializing in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis based on factors including clinical experience and testing capacity. Sixty-nine facilities now provide specialized treatment and work through consortiums that advise clinicians on medication choices and provide training.
Newer drugs, including bedaquiline and delamanid, are subject to an advance review process. Proposed drug combinations are evaluated before approval and coverage under South Korea's national health insurance system. Officials say the process is intended to ensure patients receive appropriate treatment while limiting improper use that could contribute to further drug resistance.
Data and tailored care shape the next phase
About 600 representatives from the national disease control agency, provincial and local governments, public health centers, participating hospitals and related organizations are expected to attend the conference at Seoul Dragon City.
The program includes three sessions examining South Korea's long-term tuberculosis strategy, the use of patient data to improve care and changes in treatment for multidrug-resistant disease. Participants will review indicators such as drug-susceptibility testing at diagnosis, treatment success and interruption rates, and screening of patients' close contacts.
The conference will also examine the results of a decade of advance reviews for newer tuberculosis drugs and ways to incorporate updated clinical evidence into care. The broader goal is to move away from a uniform approach and tailor treatment to patients' circumstances, shorten treatment where possible, reduce burdens on patients and make it easier for them to remain in care.
Comments
Post a Comment