BANGUED, Abra (PIA) — The Provincial Health Office of Abra in coordination with the Provincial Department of Health (PDOHO) strengthen government’s multi-sectoral response in curbing tuberculosis (TB) cases in the province.
They are pursuing the creation of a Provincial TB Coordinating Council to be chaired by the Governor, co-chaired by the Provincial Health Officer.
The council will be backed by focal persons from PDOHO, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Provincial TB Coordinator, Association of Municipal Health Officers, Medical Societies, Department of Education, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, the media, and other stakeholders.
Abra Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Rosauro Seares pointed out that strengthening ties with the different societies is necessary to combat TB.
He explained that while TB is curable, there is an increasing case of Multidrug-resistant TB.
“There is an increasing incident of Multidrug Resistant and it is in fact an emerging health crisis. So, for a more comprehensive approach in the management of TB, we are going to establish the TB Coordinating Council whose main objective is to strengthen collaboration of the different sectors to form a common and unified front to end TB,” Seares said.
He emphasized the importance of monitoring TB patients under medication to guarantee their recovery.
“I would like to emphasize also, especially to doctors, that it is not enough that we prescribe the medicine. We should not stop at that. It is very important to monitor if the patient is actually taking in the medication,” Dr. Seares said.
Reporting on the TB situation in the province, National TB Coordinator for Abra Lai Bernal said that last year, a total of 1,109 TB cases were recorded in Abra, 470 of which are Bacteriologically Confirmed TB cases. There were also 50 TB mortalities recorded in 2024. (JDP/CAGT – PIA CAR, Abra)
