The role of the privatization process on tuberculosis control in HoChiMinh City Province, Vietnam.

In Vietnam, tuberculosis is a major health problem, especially in HoChiMinh City Province where living conditions are marginal and HIV infection is increasing. As Vietnam has gradually shifted to a market economy, this also has implications for the health care system. More and more private practitioners are emerging. At present, case-finding and treatment of tuberculosis is under the control of Vietnam's National Tuberculosis Program (NTP). The authors argue that the process of privatization might have consequences for the implementation of a public health program such as the NTP. This argument has been illustrated by using a case study on the functioning of the NTP in HoChiMinh City Province.