By BOY RYAN B. ZABAL
KALIBO, Aklan — Officials in the province have renewed their support to local programs fighting the spread of tuberculosis (TB).
Gov. Florencio Miraflores and municipal mayors signed a pledge of support during a provincial-municipal local chief executives’ dialogue on TB control on Friday here.
Miraflores vowed to support the Ligtas na Pamilyang Pilipino Laban sa TB (LPP-TB) Program.
He said the provincial government will organize and institutionalize the Provincial Multi-Sectoral Alliance for TB Control.
It will also improve the compliance of provincial and district hospitals with the Philippine Plan of Action to Control TB standards and TB Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) treatment protocols.
There are 20 rural health units, three hospitals and a clinic with accredited and certified DOTS facilities in the province.
Last year the province had an annual case detection of 90 percent compared to 101 percent in 2012.
It also registered a 91-percent tuberculosis cure rate last year, which is more than the 77 percent in 2010.
As part of its pledge, the provincial government will provide financial support to strengthen TB service delivery mechanisms, and to promote and strengthen public-private sector collaboration and multi-sectoral partnerships for TB control.
Aklan Tuberculosis Council, a multi-sectoral group, also plans to install this year remote smearing sites in geographically isolated and displaced areas.
It also plans to put up a Multi-drug-resistant TB satellite treatment center at the Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon Memorial Hospital.
The collaboration of the Department of Health, the provincial government and their partners is seen to ensure that TB diagnostic, treatment and information services are accessible to the communities.
Despite a rigorous struggle through the national anti-TB program, TB has remained a top killer disease in the country for decades.
About 200,000–600,000 Filipinos have TB, with an average of 75 people dying of the disease every day. (Aklan Forum Journal/PN)
