Gangwon Province Faces Emergency as Seniors Account for 70.9% of Tuberculosis Cases, Surpassing National Average

Gangwon Province Implements “On-Site Tuberculosis Prevention Education” for Second Consecutive Year

Province and Disease Control Agency Join Forces to Address Tuberculosis Blind Spots Among the Elderly

Education Program Launched to Raise Tuberculosis Awareness in Seniors Aged 65 and Over

Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Governor Kim Jin-tae) and the Metropolitan Disease Response Center of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (Center Director Cho Kyung-sook) announced on the 17th that they will conduct a joint tuberculosis prevention education program with relevant organizations from the 16th to the 27th, aiming to raise awareness of tuberculosis among the elderly (65 years and older), as well as to promote prevention and early detection.

Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Governor Kim Jin-tae) and the Central Disease Response Center of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (Center Director Cho Kyung-sook) conducted tuberculosis prevention education on the 16th to raise awareness of tuberculosis among the elderly (aged 65 and over) and to promote prevention and early detection. Provided by Gangwon Province

The education program involves the Metropolitan Disease Response Center of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, public health centers from 11 cities and counties within the province, the Gangwon Infectious Disease Management Support Group, and the Gangwon branch of the Korean Senior Citizens Association.

While the incidence of tuberculosis nationwide has been steadily declining, the number of tuberculosis patients aged 65 and over has continued to rise, accounting for 58.7% of all tuberculosis patients as of 2024.

In particular, in Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, the proportion of elderly tuberculosis patients aged 65 and over reached 70.9% of all patients in 2024, which is 12.2 percentage points higher than the national average.

This highlights the importance of increasing tuberculosis awareness, providing prevention education, and guiding early screening for the elderly, especially considering the province's aging population structure and limited healthcare accessibility.

Since last year, the education has been offered in an “on-site visiting education” format, taking into account the accessibility needs of the elderly. This approach has received a positive response, and this year, tuberculosis prevention education will be incorporated into the mandatory training course for 2,200 elderly (65 and older) volunteers from the 11 city and county chapters of the Gangwon branch of the Korean Senior Citizens Association, conducted as on-site education.

The main topics of the program include an understanding of tuberculosis and latent tuberculosis infection, basic preventive guidelines such as proper coughing etiquette, and an emphasis on the importance of “annual regular screenings even in the absence of symptoms.”

Cho Kyung-sook, Director of the Metropolitan Disease Response Center at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, stated, “Last year’s education program significantly improved tuberculosis awareness among elderly residents in Gangwon. As this initiative enters its second year, I hope it will become a leading public-private cooperation model to address blind spots in tuberculosis management in Gangwon, and we will continue to do our utmost so that seniors can enjoy a safe and healthy life well into their 100s, free from tuberculosis.”

Park Songlim, Director of the Bureau of Welfare and Health at Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, said, “In Gangwon, where the proportion of seniors aged 65 and over is high and access to medical facilities is relatively limited, tuberculosis prevention education is extremely important. Through this program, now in its second consecutive year in partnership with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, we aim to widely raise awareness of tuberculosis and the importance of screening, and we will continue our efforts to support the healthy lives of our seniors.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.