The use of artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the diagnosis of tuberculosis in Vietnam. AI applications are now being used in conjunction with X-ray machines to assist doctors in identifying patients suspected of having tuberculosis based on lesions, according to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Binh Hoa, Deputy Director of the Central Lung Hospital. This helps doctors prescribe more accurate testing for tuberculosis bacteria.
Thanks to AI, the efficiency of detecting tuberculosis has doubled compared to before, according to Associate Professor Hoa. Medical facilities utilizing AI have twice the rate of tuberculosis detection compared to those that do not use AI. The number of tuberculosis cases has also significantly increased in medical facilities that have implemented AI. Vietnam is faced with a high burden of tuberculosis, with over 106,000 cases recorded in 2023 and 11,000 deaths from the disease. The number of tuberculosis patients continues to rise annually, with cases increasing by 2.2% in 2023 compared to the previous year.
Dr. Dinh Van Luong, Director of the Central Lung Hospital, outlined Vietnam’s goal of ending tuberculosis by 2035. To achieve this goal, the National Tuberculosis Program emphasizes the importance of universal health coverage, strengthening grassroots health systems, and expanding the application of new diagnostic tools, drugs, vaccines, and interventions to detect and treat tuberculosis early. In areas with a shortage of tuberculosis specialists, AI systems can be effective in early detection of tuberculosis in the community.
While there is a great need for AI systems to detect tuberculosis, funding for implementing these systems remains limited. Associate Professor Hoa believes that widespread deployment of artificial intelligence in early tuberculosis detection in Vietnam will contribute to ending tuberculosis and improving public health. The conference also covered topics such as lung transplantation, respiration
