World TB Day 2022 – TBpeople PH

TBpeople Philippines commemorate World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, March 24, 2022 to raise public awareness to this dreaded disease. That is causing economic, social, and health problems to the community. And to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic.

The theme for this year is “Invest to End TB. Save Lives” – conveys the urgent need to invest resources to increase the fight against TB and achieve the commitments to end TB made by global leaders. More investment will save millions more lives, accelerating the end of the TB epidemic.

But what is the real situation of Tuberculosis in our country, the Philippines?

“In fact, after China, the Philippines had the second highest number of TB cases in the WHO Western Pacific Region in 2007.”

Willie Ong, 2012, ‘Tuberculosis in the Philippines: 10 things you should know’, Philstar, 3 January, accessed 20 May 2022, https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/health-and-family/2012/01/03/763897/tuberculosis-philippines-10-things-you-should-know

“According to data from the National TB Program, in 2015, there were 294,907 cases of tuberculosis among patients who had already begun treatment.” “At the moment, she said, the incidence of tuberculosis is at 323 per 100,000 persons – or about three per 10,000 persons. The shift from control to elimination is part of the 2017-to-2022 Philippine Strategic TB Elimination Plan 1, a collaborative effort of the government, the private sector, and other stakeholders. This means that the DOH would have bring down tuberculosis to a rare disease by 2022, or by the end of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term.”

Julie Aurelio, 2017, ‘DOH aims to make tuberculosis a rare disease by 2022’, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 24 March, accessed 20 May 2022, https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/883561/doh-aims-to-make-tuberculosis-a-rare-disease-by-2022

“Among the 30 high TB burden countries, the Philippines is ranked fourth; and among the high multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) burden countries, the Philippines is ranked seventh.”

PHILIPPINES TUBERCULOSIS ROADMAP OVERVIEW, FISCAL YEAR 2021, accessed 20 May 2022, https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Philippines_TBRM21_TB_DIAH_Version_Final.pdf

“The Global Tuberculosis Report 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO) showed that the Philippines had the highest TB incidence rate in Asia in 2019, with 554 cases for every 100,000 Filipinos. In addition, according to the Department of Health (DOH), TB is among the top 10 causes of death in the country, with about 74 Filipinos dying from the disease every day, despite treatment being free in public health facilities nationwide. “TB remains the deadliest infectious killer and a major public health issue,” said the WHO on World Tuberculosis Day last March 24. “

‘That other epidemic: TB’, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 13 June 2021, accessed 20 May 2022, https://opinion.inquirer.net/141127/that-other-epidemic-tb

“According to the website of National TB Control Program of DOH.

Tuberculosis in numbers as of 2021 are:

340,524 Notified DS-TB and

DR-TB Cases 3,632 TB Treatment Facilities

3,695 TB Laboratories”

National Tuberculosis Control Program – Department of Health 2022, Philippines, accessed 20 May 2022, https://ntp.doh.gov.ph/

Let’s never forget and always remind our national leaders on what they’ve promised and committed to our country; to invest to end TB and be a TB FREE PH.

Reference

National Tuberculosis Control Program – Department of Health 2022, Philippines, accessed 20 May 2022, https://ntp.doh.gov.ph/

PHILIPPINES TUBERCULOSIS ROADMAP OVERVIEW, FISCAL YEAR 2021, accessed 20 May 2022, https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Philippines_TBRM21_TB_DIAH_Version_Final.pdf.

Julie Aurelio, 2017, ‘DOH aims to make tuberculosis a rare disease by 2022’, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 24 March, accessed 20 May 2022, https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/883561/doh-aims-to-make-tuberculosis-a-rare-disease-by-2022.

Willie Ong, 2012, ‘Tuberculosis in the Philippines: 10 things you should know’, Philstar, 3 January, accessed 20 May 2022, https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/health-and-family/2012/01/03/763897/tuberculosis-philippines-10-things-you-should-know.