Anyone can get TB. Everyone has their own health journey. We work with you to achieve your healthiest life, through high quality, culturally responsive care.
If you or a member of your family have been affected by TB, you may be contacted by the Victorian Tuberculosis Program.
Treatment and care
The Victorian Tuberculosis Program (VTP) acts to ensure that every person with TB receives the right treatment at the right time.
Specialist nurse consultants from the VTP work with people affected by TB to make sure they get the appropriate treatment, including antibiotics and hospital care. The nurse works with you and your treating doctor, to help you get better, feel better, and stay better.
TB treatment is provided free of charge in Australia for anyone who needs it. If you have been diagnosed with TB, other support might be available depending on your circumstances, and you can discuss financial or other needs with the VTP.
Our VTP nurses can work with you to identify family, friends, or community members who may also have acquired TB infection, offering them testing and suggesting treatment to prevent illness from TB.
In listening to your story, our nurses might suggest speaking with other health professionals to make it easier for you to access appropriate treatment.
What is latent tuberculosis?
This video explains what latent tuberculosis is, and what testing and treatment might involve. The video is useful for people who are about to have a test for TB, have been diagnosed with TB and to help support people talking about TB with their doctor.
Dr Kasha Singh from the Royal Melbourne Hospital gives a short overview of what latent tuberculosis is, and what testing and treatment might involve.
The Victorian Tuberculosis Program does not provide testing or follow up services for immigration and visa applications.
Where can you go?
- Immigration health examinations for Australian visa applicants are provided by Bupa Medical Visa Services. Refer to Bupa Medical Visa Services to find a Bupa Medical Centre or make an appointment.
- In Victoria, the Department of Health has contracted the screening of all migrants on health undertakings and onshore visa applicants with abnormal chest x-rays to Western Health's Migrant Screening Clinic, which is managed by the Respiratory and Sleep Disorders Medicine service. To book, contact the Western Health Adult Specialist Clinics booking team, or you can find out more about visiting the clinic.
Bupa Medical Visa Services or the Migrant Screening Clinic may refer you to other specialist health services close to where you live if further assessment is warranted or for treatment as appropriate.
Your visa application is managed by Department of Home Affairs. If you have questions regarding your visa application, contact your case officer or visit Department of Home Affairs for more information.
If you have an account, you can also check for updates on your ImmiAccount.
Some organisations, particularly health and childcare, will require testing for latent and active tuberculosis as a condition of employment.
There are two types of tests for TB infection commonly in use globally. One of these tests, the tuberculin skin test (TST), is not widely available in Victoria. Interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA), such as the commercially available Quantiferon Gold®, is generally recommended when testing for TB infection in the context of pre-employment or educational placement within the Victorian community.
The Victorian Tuberculosis Program does not provide pre-employment or educational placement testing. Testing should be arranged (in addition to other tests) with the employer (hospital staff) or commercial pathology providers through your doctor.
Your education provider may be able to provide guidance if you are asked to test before starting an educational placement.
Links & documents
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