The Socialist Republic of Viet Nam (hereinafter referred to as Viet Nam) has one of the highest infection rates in the world, with the number of affected people per 100,000 population approaching 200. The Fujifilm Group is committed to providing opportunities for tuberculosis (TB) screening mainly in areas where access to medical care is unavailable or difficult.
Basic Data on Viet Nam
- Population：Approximately 97.62 million
- Area：329,241km2
- Capital：Hanoi
- * Quoted from "Basic Data on Viet Nam," Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. (as of March 2023)
Data on TB
Viet Nam is one of the countries in Southeast Asia with the highest incidence of TB, which is a major social issue.
- Annual number of affected people：approximately 172,000
- Number of affected people per 100,000 population：176
- * Quoted from “Tuberculosis profile: Viet Nam” by the World Health Organization (WHO) (as of March 2023)
In particular, areas such as remote islands and mountainous regions have inadequate access to medical care including TB screening compared to urban areas such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
It is believed that opportunities are not provided enough and there are many potential sufferers.
Fujifilm Group’s Initiatives
IRD VN and Friends for International Tuberculosis Relief FIT, which conduct TB screening in collaboration with the Stop TB Partnership, have long recognized the challenges of access to healthcare in remote areas and have promoted TB screening. However, it has not been easy to bring large X-ray equipment and conduct large-scale TB screenings in remote areas separated by mountains and oceans with poor transportation infrastructure.
Therefore, the two organizations applied for the Japanese government's "Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects" and the project was adopted in 2020 as the "Project for Provision of Portable X-ray Equipment for Efficient Screening of Tuberculosis in Remote Areas. Based on this, our local subsidiary FUJIFILM VIETNAM Co., Ltd. introduced a portable X-ray device and diagnostic support software developed using AI technology. The two organizations utilized the device from February to April 2022 to conduct TB screening for roughly 11,000 residents in mountainous areas and remote island villages in the three northern and central provinces, and 77 people who were diagnosed as positive as a result of the screening were linked to treatment at medical institutions.
Because Fujifilm’s equipment is compact, ultra lightweight, easy delivery by one person,using regular small vessel service is achievavle to facilitate medical examinations on remote islands.
Compact and easily transportable
Reception desk for TB screening
A TB screening using X-ray
Medical examination during the COVID-19 pandemic
A view of the area
Mr. Vo Nguyen Quang Luan
At FIT, our goal is to make person-centered TB prevention and care practices the standard in Viet Nam. Along with our partners, we strive to reduce transmission, save lives and reduce suffering by helping individuals overcome barriers to care. Our active case-finding activities have been enhanced by our partnership with Fujifilm and allowed us to reach the widest population possible. Together, we can work towards providing quality care and services to everyone, regardless of their situation, with the ultimate goal of ending the TB epidemic in our lifetime.
Mr. Dzung Pham
IRD VN is committed to eliminating public health burdens in Viet Nam, particularly for vulnerable communities. Our primary goal is to expand and improve health screening, care, and prevention services under any circumstances. During the pandemic, our partnership with Fujifilm allowed us to integrate mobile TB screening into mass vaccination campaigns. This innovative strategy helped us reach countless individuals even during periods of social distancing restrictions. Moving forward, we aim to continue developing new service delivery models by leveraging our collaboration with our valued partners, such as Fujifilm.
