Tuberculosis Association Gwangju Jeonnam Branch, Complete Health Screening at Senior Centers with Jeonnam Province

Jeonnam Western Region 6 Cities and Counties Target First Phase Screening for 26,700 People

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] The Gwangju Jeonnam Branch of the Korean Tuberculosis Association (Branch President Park Jong) announced on the 30th that it will conduct a full inspection of senior centers in high tuberculosis incidence areas to eradicate tuberculosis in the local community, in cooperation with Jeollanam-do.

The Korean National Tuberculosis Association is conducting comprehensive health screenings at senior centers in Jeollanam-do.
[Photo by Korean National Tuberculosis Association]

The number of tuberculosis patients in Korea has continuously decreased to 46% compared to 2011, but the decrease rate among patients aged 65 and older is only 27%, and in 2021, the proportion of elderly tuberculosis patients exceeded 50% for the first time.

Accordingly, the Gwangju Jeonnam Branch of the Tuberculosis Association, together with the Infectious Disease Management Division of Jeonnam Province, has launched a proactive and focused full inspection centered on community senior centers with high tuberculosis transmission potential and high elderly usage rates.

The full inspection, planned as a five-year project until 2027, will be conducted in two phases: Phase 1 (2023?2024) “Inspection of High Tuberculosis Incidence Areas” and Phase 2 (2025?2027) “Expansion of Full Inspection for Senior Center Users.”

The Phase 1 inspection, which began on the 26th, targets 2,6700 people based on 2,119 senior centers located in six cities and counties in the southwestern region of Jeollanam-do with a high incidence of new tuberculosis patients (Mokpo, Haenam, Hampyeong, Jindo, Sinan, Wando).

For Phase 2, once the effect of reducing tuberculosis incidence in the inspected areas is confirmed after Phase 1, the full inspection of senior centers will be expanded to all 22 cities and counties in the province.

Choi Jong-hyun, Secretary General of the Tuberculosis Association, emphasized, “Although Korea has significantly fewer doctors compared to the United States, Germany, and France, the avoidable mortality rate is lower than the OECD average,” adding, “Despite the efficient operation of the healthcare system, the need for full inspection of senior centers can be found in the uniquely high tuberculosis mortality rate.”

Moon Kwon-ok, Director of Infectious Disease Management at Jeonnam Province, said, “Early detection and complete treatment of tuberculosis patients is the key to eradicating tuberculosis,” and added, “Jeonnam Province will take the lead and do its best in tuberculosis prevention and management.”