The city government of Makati has launched a massive information and awareness campaign on tuberculosis while intensifying screening for TB cases among vulnerable groups in the community.
The move, according to Mayor Abigail Binay, is in line with the nationwide observance of Lung Month this August.
On Friday, the Makati Health Department kicked off its activity at West Rembo satellite treatment center.
Simultaneous TB awareness classes were also held in several barangays including Rizal, Pembo, East Rembo, Pitogo, Tejeros, Guadalupe Viejo, Pio del Pilar, and Singkamas.
Binay said: “The Philippines is one of 30 countries in the world with a high prevalence of tuberculosis. While cases in Makati are very few compared to other cities, we must not be complacent.
“The vulnerable sectors like the urban poor, elderly and inmates are still susceptible to the disease, often because of lack of awareness and inadequate monitoring.”
Binay expressed the city’s firm commitment to the goal of the Department of Health to eradicate TB in the Philippines by 2022.
By eradication, she added, the DoH means detecting all active TB cases and reducing the prevalence rate to 10 in every 10,000 patients.
Studies show that poverty, malnutrition, poor housing and sanitation can put patients at heightened risk of TB and make it harder for them to access care.
Binay, however, said she believed that stepping up awareness campaigns and lectures in urban poor communities will help prevent the spread of TB.
She also called for increased screening for TB and active monitoring of patients undergoing treatment. Joel Zurbano
She also appealed to residents to have themselves checked for TB at the nearest barangay health center. “Coughing for more than two weeks should already be a reason to go to a health center and get screened,” she said.
In line with the mayor’s directive, MHD, in coordination with the Makati Social Welfare Department, relaunched Project HEAL, which stands for Healthy and Active Lungs, last Aug. 20.
This time, the mass screening for TB is aimed at urban poor communities all over Makati.
MHD chief Dr. Bernard Sese said health workers were targeting to screen 150 patients per day until August 31 in each of the barangay health centers in vulnerable areas in the city identified by the MSWD.
Project HEAL began in February 2018 at the Makati City Jail for the benefit of inmates.
Meanwhile, Dr. Christy Sales, national coordinator for the TB program in the city, reported 971 TB cases in Makati City for the first and second quarters of the year.
Of the number, 941 are drug-susceptible TB cases while 30 are drug-resistant TB cases.
According to MHD, health workers closely monitor TB patients especially when it comes to taking their medication.
The regular treatment is for six months, and patients are required to go to the health center every day to get their medicines.
While there, the health workers keep a close eye on them to see if they are really taking the drugs.
Drug-resistant TB cases, on the other hand, are referred to satellite treatment centers since their medication is different.
Elderly patients and diabetics who come in for checkups are also screened for TB even if they do not show any symptoms.
This is because they fall under the recognized vulnerable groups, according to the city health department.
Local health officials also conduct regular lectures on TB at community health centers. They explain how TB is transmitted and how important it is to follow the treatment protocol for the prescribed period.