Major strides have been made in the treatment and prevention of hydatid disease in Tibet Autonomous Region, which had the highest prevalence rate of the disease among China's provincial-level regions, according to a National Health Commission report.

With an average prevalence rate of 1.66 percent among the residents in Tibet, hydatid disease is known to have caused health hazards and heavy economic burdens to the patients and their families, as well as huge losses to local agriculture and animal husbandry.

Noting that hydatid disease was a key reason for people to become poor due to illness in the region, the report said major efforts have been made to treat and prevent the disease.

Despite difficulties, Tibet screened around 3 million people, covering all residents aged above 2, to register hydatid disease cases as of the end of 2017, a job they completed in just one year instead of the planned three years.

Extensive efforts were made to mobilize resources to confirm hydatid disease cases and ensure those willing to be treated can receive treatment in an early manner. As of 2019, more than 5,000 patients received operations and more than 9,800 others were treated with medicine.

Listing measures taken to cut the source of infection, the report said a system to vaccinate and register home-raised dogs has been put in place in Tibet.