By Michael Vincent D. Cajulao
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Department
of Health (DOH)-9 together with its lead partners from the government and
private sectors launched the observance of the Lung Month last Aug. 1 with the
theme, “ Tuldukan ang TB. Ikalat ang Tamang Impormasyon, Hindi ang
Diskriminasyon.”
In a media forum conducted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA),
DOH 9 Chief Medical Technologist Mr. Joselito Cua said the month-long activity
would focus on the most common lung ailment in the country, tuberculosis (TB).
“Seventy five Filipinos are dying of TB every day. Philippines ranks
number 9 in TB burden, and TB is the number 6 leading causes of morbidity and
mortality in our country,” Mr. Cua pointed out.
In its quest to control TB, Cua said the DOH is improving its
facilities, and strategy on TB control through the participation of all
stakeholders.
“We have our National Tuberculosis Program (NTP) to address TB. What’s
good about our program is that it is now integrated in the health structure of
the community. Every health center is now Direct Observed Treatment Strategy
(DOTS) center capable of managing TB patients, from identification, diagnosis,
and treatment until they are cured,” Cua explained.
Zamboanga City Health Office Medical Officer IV Dr. Dulce Amor Dagalea
said “TB is still one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the
past years, 6th on 2010 and 7th in 2011. However, it has
improved much in 2012.”
CHO report showed that in 2012, TB was ranked 14th among the leading
causes of morbidity and mortality in Zamboanga City.
Dagalea further said that, “For every 1,000 population in Zamboanga
City, at least two are at risk of TB, and one dies of it.”
She also stressed that TB can be acquired through droplets of infected
persons. It can also infect an unborn child if a mother is infected with TB.
However, it does not guarantee that a child will automatically be infected
unless the TB bacteria of the mother go through the blood streams.
Ms. Miriam Kanti, a clinical instructor of one of the local schools here
and representing Zamboanga City Council Against TB (ZAMCAT), enjoined media
partners to help them by disseminating proper information to the public.
“Our main problem why there are still patients who do not want to
undergo treatment is because of the stigma against them. Let’s have a uniform
message that TB is curable. It can be cured and it is for free,” Kanti
clarified.
She also said that Zamboanga City’s multi-ethnicity also plays a part in
the spread of TB.
“We have our different beliefs. We have our own myths about TB. But to
put it simply, if we have cough for about a week or two, it’s not normal
anymore. We have to undergo test. Again, it’s for free,” she pointed out.
Dagalea also debunked the myth that smoking can cause TB. However, it
makes a person more vulnerable to the disease.
“Smoking does not cause TB. But it weakens our immune system, especially
our lungs and that makes a person more susceptible to TB,” Dagalea said.
As to other support for patients, Philhealth is giving P4,000.00 per
patient who are admitted in all Philhealth accredited institutions.
“Our participation comes in with the accreditation of facilities. We
give patients admitted to accredited institutions patients who are confined
with the facility,” Mr. Ronald Jabay, Public Relations Officer III of
Philhealth-9 said.
Mr. Jabay added that the support is a not a one-time support for
patients. However, Philhealth discourages relapse or incomplete treatment.
“We will still be giving financial support to the patient if the disease
recurs, except if it’s due to discontinuance of medication by the patient,” he
said.
TB case detection and cure rate is high in Zamboanga City, Dagalea said.