BAGUIO CITY (PIA) — The Department of Health reminds the public anew of the importance of Tuberculosis (TB) screening to ensure a healthy family.
DOH Center for Health and Development-Cordillera Nurse V Joyce Rillorta, in a Kapihan media forum on August 8, 2024, outlined that TB is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium and can be transmitted by an infected person to another through air or by coughing, sneezing or spitting.
It is proven that a person with TB, if undetected and untreated, will surely transmit it to his or her family or household members that he or she is living with for three months, she said.
According to Rillorta, individuals experiencing symptoms of TB like two weeks of cough, two weeks of unexplained fever, weight loss and sweating at night, should go for screening and testing at the primary care provider near them. The government is providing TB treatment for free and patients just need to take their medicine regimen religiously, she said.
Meantime, the DOH is intensifying its TB Control Program through massive screening and testing. In the Cordillera, Rillorta shared that this 2024, DOH – CAR already screened 22,332 individuals and tested 13,473 individuals.
On TB cases, DOH-CAR data shows 2,218 registered cases in 2023 wherein 620 were cured; 1,387 completed their treatment; 89 died; one failed treatment and 117 were lost to follow-up.
To reach more population in the different parts of the region, the DOH-CAR has private-initiated counseling and testing partners and a mobile TB van going around the region.
For the mobile TB van, it will visit the towns of Asipulo, Hingyon and Aguinaldo and Alfonso Lista in Ifugao on August 13, 14, 15 and 16, respectively.
In line with the observance of National Tuberculosis Day on August 19, there will also be free PPD (purified protein derivative) test and TB Caravan in Abra, as well as awareness campaign on TB for food handlers at the Baguio City Health Services Office on August 20, 22 and 23.
The National TB Day this year adopts the theme, “Labanan ang TB! KonsulTayo sa Eksperto, ang Primary Care Provider Mo! to highlight the importance of seeking free health services from primary care providers in the fight against TB. (CCD-PIA CAR)
