“Kailangan kasi nating mahanap yung mga tao na merong TB at saka yung high risk groups na pwedeng magkaroon ng TB. So in that way ma-pre-prevent natin na lalo pang dumami yung ating mga patients or population natin na magkaroon ng TB,” DOH-XI Infectious Disease Cluster Head Dr. Hansel Amoguis explained.
(We need to look for people with TB and those high risk groups that can have TB. So in that way, we can prevent the rise of patients or population with TB)
Amoguis said that currently they have detected and treated around 60 percent of the targeted 90% of TB cases this year in terms of treatment coverage rate.
“In other words, marami pa tayong dapat hanapin na mga (we need to find more) TB presumptive or TB cases in Davao region, so active case finding is really important,” she added.
Amoguis said that there is still stigma among TB patients, and for this reason, only a few people go to health centers or hospitals to have themselves checked. That is why, to address this concern, she said that they take the initiative to go to communities and reach out to TB patients.
She explained that in case-finding, they go to communities and conduct screenings a through chest X-rays, particularly among high-risk groups such as individuals with comorbidities, people living with Human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV), senior citizens, and close contacts of TB patients.
Once the X-ray screening suggests a possible TB infection, the patients will undergo sputum testing. If a patient is positive for TB, he/she will undergo a monitored and regulated treatment process, she said.
Amoguis emphasized that the case-finding also intends to detect latent TB infection (LTBI), or those with in-active tuberculosis antigens in their immune system, and provide preventive treatment to prevent the progress of the bacteria leading to TB infection.
She emphasized that their case findings are particularly targeting “congregate settings” like informal settlers, residential areas, jail facilities, nursing homes, among others, where TB spreads easily given its airborne mode of transmission.
Meanwhile, Evelyn Uy-Gelito, DOH-XI National TB Program head, reported that as of the first quarter of 2023, they have recorded around 4,000 TB cases in Davao region.
She added that compared to the same period last year; they saw around a 1000 to 1,500 increase in TB cases in the region.
Uy-Gelito said that TB has been common among males and females, primarily affecting the working population in the country or between the ages of 15 to 35 years old.
Although there was an increase in TB cases in the region, Uy-Gelito attributed this increase to the strengthened advocacy campaign of the agency towards improving the health-seeking behavior among the Davaoeños.
Amoguis urged the public to seek immediate medical consultation once experiencing the symptoms of TB, such as fever, cough, weight loss, and excessive sweating, especially at night, lasting for more than two weeks. (RVC/CLC/ASO/PIA-XI/Thumbnail photo from DOH-XI)