A patient undergoes a chest X-ray at Nam Định Lung Hospital in the northern province of Nam Định. VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Lành

HÀ NỘI — The habit of indiscriminate spitting in public places is very dangerous for the community as it can spread infectious diseases, a senior doctor has warned, urging an immediate cessation of this habit.

Indiscriminate spitting in public places still occurs, especially in areas such as bus stations, parks, airports and hospitals.

Dr Hồ Quốc Khải, head of the respiratory intensive care unit at the Respiratory Department of Gia Định People's Hospital in HCM City, told Tuổi Trẻ (Youth) newspaper that spitting indiscriminately in public places can spread respiratory tract infections such as tuberculosis.

At Gia Định People's Hospital, there are diagnosed tuberculosis patients every day who are sent back to their localities for treatment supervision. Many tuberculosis patients are a source of infection for a long time.

Among them, many patients come for examination during the advanced stage of the disease. Some are hospitalised in critical condition, requiring mechanical ventilation, and many do not fully recover, but suffer permanent disability or even death, he said.

“Tuberculosis patients coughing, spitting or sneezing will generate droplet nuclei containing tuberculosis bacteria. These particles float in the air and can exist for up to 24 hours. When others inhale these droplet nuclei containing tuberculosis bacteria, there is a risk of contracting tuberculosis," he said.

"Therefore, spitting indiscriminately is an uncivilised behaviour and poses a risk of spreading tuberculosis to the community," he said.

Tuberculosis is the second deadliest infectious disease globally, following only COVID-19 and nearly doubling the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Việt Nam ranks 11th among 30 countries burdened with high tuberculosis rates, with an estimated new case rate of 176 out of 100,000 population in 2022.

According to the National Tuberculosis Control Programme's report in 2023, over the first nine months of the year, more than 78,000 new tuberculosis cases were detected, with a new case rate of 76.8 per 100,000 population.

In addition to tuberculosis, there are many other diseases transmitted through respiratory routes such as COVID-19 or other diseases that have caused pandemics in the past like seasonal flu, measles, mumps, rubella and whooping cough.

Hải emphasised the need for public awareness campaigns to educate people that spitting in public places is a bad behaviour and the urgency of calling for everyone to abandon this habit.

Additionally, it's necessary to provide covered trash bins in public places and guide proper disposal of spit, he said, adding that many respiratory patients produce excessive secretions, so if they cannot control their coughing, they should cough into a tissue and dispose of it in a covered trash bin.

Specific laws should be enacted to classify spitting indiscriminately in public places as a legal violation punishable by law. There should be legal provisions for public venue managers to establish regulations and fines against splitting.

It is essential to incorporate life skills education into school curricula to prevent future generations from adopting this bad habit, he said. — VNS