The University of Sydney Vietnam Institute and the fight against tuberculosis

The harsh reality of tuberculosis in Vietnam

Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death from infectious diseases worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, there are approximately 170,000 new tuberculosis cases and 12,000 tuberculosis-related deaths each year in Vietnam. Vietnam is one of the 11 countries with the highest burden of tuberculosis and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (Source). Only about 60% of tuberculosis cases are detected and treated; which means that up to 40% of people with tuberculosis are not receiving treatment, and can potentially spread the disease to others. (Source).

Despite significant advances in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis, including modern testing methods and effective medications, why does this disease continue to claim so many lives worldwide? This question requires us to comprehensively examine various complex factors, ranging from limitations in access to healthcare services, a lack of awareness about the disease, to social and economic factors.

Researchers from the University of Sydney join forces to find solutions against tuberculosis in Vietnam

Understanding the importance of this issue, researchers at the University of Sydney are currently working with the University of Sydney Vietnam Institute to improve the detection, prevention, and treatment of tuberculosis. Since 2009, dozens of Vietnamese and international researchers, including Professor Thu-Anh Nguyen from the University of Sydney Vietnam Institute, Professor Greg Fox from the University of Sydney, and Professor Guy Marks from the University of New South Wales, have collaborated with the National Tuberculosis Program in Vietnam to explore new diagnostic and treatment methods, as well as community intervention approaches, to help people in the community get effectively screened, detected, and treated for tuberculosis, and to cut off the transmission of this dangerous disease. The tireless efforts of the team were honored with the Ho Chi Minh Science Prize 2022 by the Government of Vietnam. These new research findings and discoveries not only help improve the situation in Vietnam but also in many other heavily affected countries around the world, thereby saving many lives.

Accelerating the process of eradicating tuberculosis with the establishment of the University of Sydney Vietnam Institute

To advance the fight against tuberculosis specifically and conduct multidisciplinary research in general, the University of Sydney has established a non-profit social enterprise – the University of Sydney Vietnam Institute. 

With a commitment of up to AUD 40-45 million in non-profit funding from the Australian Government and international donors, the Institute aims to build a network of multidisciplinary researchers—including in healthcare, agriculture, arts, social sciences, business, and Net Zero initiatives—to develop innovative and effective solutions that improve the lives of people, society, and the environment.

The establishment of the Institute marks an important milestone in enhancing scientific research and innovation capacity in Vietnam, as it is one of the first foreign-invested social enterprises operating in the field of science and technology. The Institute is headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City with two offices in Hanoi and Can Tho.

Currently, the Institute is conducting new research to find a treatment regimen for INH-resistant tuberculosis, a form of the disease affecting 20% of patients in Vietnam, for which no effective treatment regimen exists to date.

Additionally, researchers from the University of Sydney are collaborating with the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute (Gates MRI) to evaluate a new tuberculosis vaccine, the most promising in 100 years, which could significantly reduce the incidence of tuberculosis in those at risk of developing the disease. The University of Sydney Vietnam Institute will play an important role in clinical trials in Vietnam.

Professor Greg Fox added, “The collaboration between the University of Sydney and the National Tuberculosis Program in Vietnam is proving effective for tuberculosis screening and treatment in Vietnam. These methods can also be applied to many other countries in the future.”