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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Barangays can be game changer in fight vs 'killer' TB--solon

Barangays can be game changer in fight vs 'killer' TB--solon

Published Aug 26, 2023 01:03 pm

At A Glance

  • "Greater involvement" from barangays can help address issues pertaining to the treatment of tuberculosis (TB), Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Ray Reyes said on Saturday, Aug. 26. 

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"Greater involvement" from barangays can help address issues pertaining to the treatment of tuberculosis (TB), Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Ray Reyes said on Saturday, Aug. 26.

"We need greater involvement from our barangay health system in addressing tuberculosis in our communities. Maraming hamon na pine-presenta ang TB treatment na makakatulong ang mga barangay sa pagtugon (TB treatment presents many challenges that barangays can help address)," Reyes said.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that 15,689 out of 563,465 recorded deaths among Filipinos from January to November 2022 were due to respiratory TB.

The DOH said recently that as per the Field Health Services Information System, 119,558 Filipinos were stricken with TB from January to December 2022.

Reyes said that there remains a stigma surrounding the disease, which both the national government and local government units should help dispel.

"Mayroong takot na lubos itong nakakahawa, bukod sa ina-associate din ang TB sa HIV, kahirapan, at hindi magandang gawain (There are fears about its being very contagious, aside from it being associated with HIV, poverty, and undesirable acts)," he said.

A renewed information campaign is needed to dispel such negative perception of the disease, as well as encourage suspected patients to consult with their community health center for diagnosis and treatment.

"Ngunit ang isa pang matinding hamon na nakikita natin ay walang tumututok sa treatment ng mga pasyente. Dahil mahaba ang treatment, kadalasan ay hindi ito nagiging priority ng mga nagkaka-TB kahit na available naman ang lunas," the lawmaker added.

(But one serious challenge that we see is the lack of monitoring on the treatment of patients. Because the treatment process is long, TB patients don't prioritize it even if there's available treatment.)

The directly-observed treatment short course (DOTS) for TB lasts from six to 10 months. Reyes said that barangays need to establish a community monitoring protocol to ensure that patients abide by the DOTS.

"Our barangay health workers are trusted members of the community, and we should capitalize on this trust to encourage our fellow Filipinos to seek treatment not only for TB, but for all diseases," said the rookie congressman.

Related Tags

Tuberculosis Anakalusugan Party-list ray reyes
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