Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR‑TB) refers to tuberculosis infection in which the bacteria are resistant at least to the two main first‑line drugs isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RMP). In our country it is classified as a Category 2 statutory infectious disease. Treatment is more complex than ordinary tuberculosis, and the therapeutic effect and side effects must be continuously monitored throughout the course. To ensure that patients with drug‑resistant tuberculosis receive optimal care and to prevent treatment failure and community transmission risk, the Centers for Disease Control (hereafter CDC) established the Taiwan MDR‑TB Consortium (TMTC team) in 2007, integrating resources from medical, public health, laboratory, pharmacy, and nursing teams, providing treatment drugs free of charge and patient‑centered care. In addition, community treatment supporters implement DOTS‑Plus, delivering medication daily, supervising patients’ medication intake, and assessing side effects, extending services from the clinic to homes and communities. Through joint efforts, the number of MDR‑TB patients under management in our country decreased from 482 in 2007 to 41 in 2025, and the treatment success rate rose from 59 % to 87 %, surpassing the global average of 71 %.
The CDC held today (the 15th) a gratitude sharing ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the TMTC team, thanking partners for their joint contributions over the years, and having the six regional teams share their results, passing on professionalism and belief, protecting patients through the treatment course, and working together to eliminate tuberculosis. The TMTC team started as a five‑region team and expanded to six regions in 2022. Over the past 20 years, the team’s mission has been continuously adjusted to meet practical needs, and the service population has expanded from MDR‑TB patients to other drug‑resistant patients and drug‑susceptible difficult‑to‑treat tuberculosis patients. Subsequently, care has been extended forward to treat latent tuberculosis infection in contacts of MDR‑TB patients, moving from treating active cases to preventing future disease in infected contacts. Based on health equity, starting in 2026, foreign patients with drug‑resistant or difficult‑to‑treat tuberculosis will be allowed to remain in Taiwan to receive TMTC team care. In addition, the team continues to align with the latest international treatment guidelines, introducing all‑oral short‑course therapy, reducing the treatment duration from the original two years to just six months, greatly easing the burden on patients, clinicians, and public‑health personnel.
Director Luo said that the TMTC team’s achievements are proud, but what is even more commendable is the contribution of every partner behind the numbers, including physicians who repeatedly adjust prescriptions according to patients’ conditions, case managers and nurses who continuously follow up and care, pharmacists, medical technologists and other professionals who safeguard treatment quality, community treatment supporters who enter neighborhoods daily to observe patients taking medication, as well as health bureaus, health stations and frontline public‑health partners who continuously conduct outbreak investigations, contact tracing, and case management. The TMTC team is not just a medical system; it is a protective network woven together by mutual trust among healthcare, public health, and patients.
In addition, the six regional teams shared their results. Precise monitoring of drug concentrations in the blood is necessary to ensure optimal efficacy and prevent side effects. Therefore, the Taipei team conducts therapeutic drug monitoring for patients enrolled by teams across Taiwan, providing data for physicians to adjust prescriptions and ensure medication safety. For patients with complex conditions requiring multidisciplinary care, the Northern team pools resources to provide holistic care. When distance may affect medication adherence, the Central team uses a dedicated vehicle fleet to deliver medication directly to patients. The Southern team focuses on training clinical talent and supporting new teams, increasing patients’ accessibility to professional care. The Kaohsiung‑Pingtung team collaborates with health bureaus; beyond individual case care, they extend services to families and communities, proactively assessing and educating contacts with latent MDR‑TB infection to receive treatment, reducing the risk of future MDR‑TB disease. The Eastern team reaches remote, indigenous, and disadvantaged families, overcoming transportation barriers to provide home services. The six regional teams provide individualized care tailored to local conditions, all aiming to accompany patients so that treatment is uninterrupted, ultimately allowing patients to complete therapy, regain health, and reduce community transmission risk, safeguarding the health of the nation.
The CDC stated that the TMTC team has developed different care models according to the characteristics and needs of patients in each region, and the teams also exchange and learn from each other, ensuring that tuberculosis patients with drug resistance or difficult‑to‑treat disease throughout Taiwan receive the most appropriate services. In the future, the agency will continue to refine policies for drug‑resistant and difficult‑to‑treat tuberculosis and pass on the professional experience accumulated over 20 years, moving toward the goal of eliminating tuberculosis.
Data source: Taiwan CDC
Data compiled by: Sensory Management Office
