BALANGA CITY – The Provincial Coordinating Committee on the eradication of tuberculosis (TB) has launched in Bataan a massive campaign against the killer disease on Tuesday.
The program is under the government’s Public Private Mix DOTS or the partnership of both public and private stakeholders on Directly-Observed Strategy on Short Course Therapy (DOTS). It has the battlecry “You are the cure of tuberculosis.”
Dr. Rosanna Buccahan, PCC Bataan chair and Provincial health Office chief, said that “public” refers to Rural Health Units and government hospitals and doctors while “private” involves non-governmental organizations, teachers, private hospitals and private doctors.
She said that under the program, there will be no competition between private and public physicians but the involvement of all for the attainment of the country’s millennium development goal by 2015 of treating at least one-half of TB cases in the Philippines.
Ameia Sarmiento, executive director of the Philippine Coalition Against Tuberculosis, said studies showed that there are 133 TB cases per 100,000 population in the country.
The countrywide target is to have a detection rate of only 70 percent of 133 cases per 100,000 people.
She said that the nationwide target was already attained but there are still some provinces that are below the objective. She cited the lack of awareness as the cause despite free medicines and free sputum examination are being offered.
“Nahihiya ang iba na amining may tuberculosis kaya kailangan ang tulong ng bawat isa,” Sarmineto said.
Dr. Virgilio Vinluan and Dr. Alejandro Menardo, top internist and pediatrician, respectively, said that some patients stopped medication after two or four months. “Then they return a year after but positive with TB again.”
A full continuous treatment for six months is required for TB to be cured.
The two physicians recommended that not only the full medication be given free but also food especially to poor patients.
“Hindi lang gamot kundi dapat tumaas din ang resistansiya ng mga pasyente para gumaling,” Menardo said.
