WHO/H.M. Dias
Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the top ten causes of death in the world. In 2015 alone, the Philippines saw 14 000 TB related deaths and approximately 324 000 new TB patients in the same year. More TB has been seen among vulnerable populations and clinical high risk groups such as people living with HIV, malnutrition, and diabetes.
The Philippines also had 17 000 rifampicin-resistant and multi-drug resistant TB patients which is in large part due to inappropriate treatment in the unengaged private sector.
To address this, the Philippines passed a bold TB elimination law (Republic Act 10767) in April 2016. The plan tasks the Department of Health (DOH) to establish a comprehensive action plan, consisting of:
- strategies and targets in addressing the disease
- prevention, treatment, care and support system
- development and application of technologies
- strengthening of partnerships with local and international organizations for possible partnership in education, advocacy, research, and funding assistance
- establishment of a review and monitoring system to gather data and monitor the progress made in the elimination of tuberculosis
- immediate mobilization of anti-TB services during and after natural and man-made disasters through collaborative efforts of national and local governments and other entities
According to the law, the Food and Drug Administration will ensure quality TB medicines and strengthen its implementation of the "No prescription, No anti-TB drugs" to regulate its sale and use. It also mandates the DOH, in coordination with the Commission on Higher Education and Department of Education, to encourage the inclusion of modules on the principles and practices of preventing, detecting, managing, and controlling TB in health curriculums.
It also mandates all public and private health centers, hospitals and facilities to notify the DOH of all TB cases. The main goal of this is to reduce the new TB cases by 90% in 2030 compared to 2015. This plan also opened the doors to the introduction and expansion of many new interventions and technologies such as systematic screening, testing for drug resistant TB and short regimens against drug resistant tuberculosis.
“In addition to the suffering this disease inflicts on families and individuals, this situation continues to cause substantial socio-economic losses to the country. We applaud the Philippines for continuing to take such bold and ambitious steps toward TB elimination”, said Dr Rajendra Yadav Technical Officer for Tuberculosis, WHO Country Representative in the Philippines, “WHO is committed to continuing its work with the DOH and partners to address these challenges and to accelerate collective action to end the TB epidemic together.”