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September 10, 2024
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In Hanoi, Vietnam, hear from Luan Vo, Co-Founder of Friends for International TB Relief, as he speaks about being a voice for vulnerable populations and the importance of access to fast molecular diagnostics in the fight to End TB by the year 2030.
Luan Vo, Co-Founder of Friends for International TB Relief: “The burden of TB is actually something that is a completely unjust situation on this world. TB has been neglected and so has been the plight of the vulnerable populations, the people that suffer from TB.
We need more attention, focus, and support for the ones that don't have a voice themselves. Friends for International TB Relief has its vision, a world free of TB. One of the key strategies that I strongly believe in is the formation and fostering of greater partnerships, especially engagement of public and private partnerships where we have essentially all of the necessary health structures join and work alongside in the fight against TB.
One of the key conditions for private sector to be engaged and to be interested in working with you is that you offer them something that they don't have so what we did was approach the private providers and said that if you work with us we will help you gain access to rapid molecular testing in particular access to the GeneXpert platform for their clients, for their customers.
These rapid molecular assays can also detect drug resistance. We have all the tools, and we have many of the resources, and what COVID has shown is that it is possible. If we can raise awareness if we can bring attention to the fact that TB still kills so many people around the world and in Vietnam every year, if we can use that momentum and that awareness to direct more attention to the people that need it, that is what I hope that this COVID pandemic has shown for TB. I know that Vietnam can do it, can end TB by the year 2030.”
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