TB Affects 2B Peoples Worldwide-Survey
By Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.
Maasin City, Southern Leyte-Tuberculosis (TB), the 6th leading death in the Philippines,9th worldwide and 2nd in the Pacific region, has affected 2B peoples according to a worldwide surveys conducted by the health experts.
Ink the Philippines 98 Filipinos died everyday of the dreaded disease with a total of 115,000 death per year. Financially, the TB disease has caused an annual income lost of P6B due to morbidity, P27B lost annually in forgone wages and P8B in actual wages.
TB which is caused by a “rod-shaped” bacteria known as mycobacterium tuberculosiscommonly affects the lungs(pulmonary disease) but also cause extra-pulmonary disease (such as in lymph glands,bones,joints,abdomen,brain,kidney,others). The effective treatment of this disease will be achieved thru the public-private collaboration, studies revealed.
It is disclosed by the health experts that tuberculosis is spread thru the air from one person to another via coughing, sneezinng, talking spitting and other similar mode of transmission.
On a slide show presentation Dr. Liza Orito-Rich, Medical-National TB Coordinator said that the TB- infected 2B individuals, one in every 10 persons will become sick with active TB in his/her lifetime. And that an untreated TB patient will contaminate 10 to 15 persons a year.
Another cause why some TB patients have not been cured is because of improper use of TB drugs, wrong dosage and have stopped taking their medicine during the length of coverage.
To find the correct solution to the spread of TB,health experts conducted studies and have discovered that to push thru with the goal of eradicating TB in the Philippine and in th global scale, there’s the great need to involve the private sector composed of medical private practitioners,barangay health workers,nurses,herbalists and the traditional healers.
In 1997 chart a large portion approximately 36% of TB patients seek the care of private MDs and followed by those seeking care in health centers.
In July 2002 NTP external evaluation conducted by WHO,JICA,USAID,CIDA-World Vision and Medicos del Mundo findings are the following: a)Acknowledge the remarkable expansion and coverage of public sector DOTS;b)Need to focus on quality-control as far as DOTS implementation is concerned;c)Correct some problems in drug supplies;d)Focus on promoting private-public mix(PPM) in DOTS implementation.
The program, explained Dr. Zenaida Bantug –Abiera, PHILCAT (Philippines Commission Against TB) provincial coordinator, the so-called PPM- DOTS collaboration was organized several years back to make the approach of treating TB more effective. This could be done by close partnership and cooperation between the government doctors and the private doctors in all areas of the country where there are RHUs and existing PPM-DOTS (Public-Private Mix-Direct Observe Treatment Standard) units.
Private medical practitioners, in this scheme of treating TB patients are obliged to refer their suspected TB patients to the RHUs- PPM-DOTS units in their respective localities. Patients referred to these units are given free TB antibiotics for the short term duration of six months.
Her statement was supported by DR. Rich saying that with the existing program of the DOH-PPM –DOTS it is now the policy that infected TB patients who consulted private medical practitioners should refer them to the PPM-DOTS hospitals or at the RHUs-PPM-DOTS. Concerned TB patients are likewise advised by the doctors to religiously follow the prescribed dosage recommended and to complete the period of treatment to make it very effective.
The PHILCAT coordinator also urged those people who are both healthy and sick to have a good night sleep of at least 8 hours or even more depending upon a person’s body condition, eat nutritious foods, avoid smoking, avoid too much alcoholic drinks and exercise regularly. This is to make the immune system strong to fight disease.
Abiera further revealed that installation of PPM-DOTS units has now reached across the country. In 2009 report are: 1 NCC,16 RCCs and 221 PPM-DOTS units with a coverage of 36M or around 40% of the total Philippines population.
The Provincial Coordinating Committee co-chairman confided that as against the belief of many people,TB cannot be spread by shaking of someone’s hands, sharing food or drink,touchng bed linen or toilet seats, sharing toothbrushes and kissing.
Nevertheless, TB can be transmitted from person to person via coughing, sneezing, talking and spitting.
Common signs and symptoms of persons affected with pulmonary TB are: cough for two weeks or more, with or without fever, chest and back pain, poor appetite, weakness, weight loss, night sweats and blood in sputum or phlegm.
Although not all who have coughs for 2 weeks or more have TB,the doctor clarified, she strongly urged those who have such symptoms to consult the doctor in their respective localities.
On the other hand, Rich intimated that while the City of Maasin has involved itself in the 2ndbatch PPM-DOTS implementation starting in 2007, the province of Southern Leyte which is under third batch has just started this year.
The Monday TB campaign awareness held at the bus terminal during the recent Provincial World TB Day was also attended, aside from the members of the IPHO technical staff, by nursing students from the College of Maasin and Saint Joseph College, some Maasin City College students, some SK chairmen, barangay officials, common city folks and two media representatives. Guest speakers were SP-MD Roberto Lagumbay,SP Committee Chairman on Health, Provincial Hospital Head and PPM-DOTS Committee Chairman Dr. Joselito Trumata and City Councilor Narciso “Ricky” Montalbo who represented Mayor Maloney Samaco..(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)
No comments:
Post a Comment