Photo of the Philippine's attempt at breaking the Guinness World Record for the "the largest human image of an organ," March 16, 2024 at the Burnham Green of the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. (Video grab from Department of Health Facebook page)

MANILA, (PIA) -- The Philippines, through the Department of Health (DOH) and its development partners, on Saturday, March 16, successfully achieved a Guinness World Record for "World TB Day" by forming the largest human lung formation, surpassing India's previous record.

Over 5,596 participants gathered at Quirino Grandstand, Manila, led by the DOH aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive, to raise global awareness about tuberculosis (TB) and combat the stigma associated with it. Its event partners include the World Health Organization Philippines, Philippine Business for Social Progress, Access TB Project, Stop TB Partnership, PhilCAT, USAID, fhi360, and the Bagong Pilipinas brand of governance.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa emphasized the ongoing global concern of TB in 2024, noting that the Philippines ranks third worldwide in TB cases.

"TB continues to be a global concern even in 2024. With over a million cases, the Philippines has the third-highest number of TB cases worldwide," Herbosa said.

"Unfortunately, among all infectious diseases in the nation, TB remains one of the leading causes of death even though it can be cured," he added

Despite its curability, TB remains a leading cause of death among infectious diseases in the country.

Under the theme "Tuloy ang Bayanihan, TB ay Tuldukan," participants from diverse backgrounds, including health workers, 4Ps beneficiaries, university students, and community members, attended the event.

Although initially over 5,747 people participated, 151 were disqualified for leaving prematurely.

The initiative aimed to surpass India's record set in 2017 for the largest human image of an organ.

Beyond setting records, the attempt symbolized a collective effort to address TB challenges, eradicate stigma, and combat the TB problem.

Despite its severity, TB is curable through free medication available at TB DOTS clinics nationwide.

According to DOH data from 2023, approximately 70 Filipinos die daily from TB, highlighting the urgency of continued efforts to combat this disease. (JCO/PIA-NCR)