TO HELP eradicate tuberculosis (TB) in the country, about P7.2-million fund has been released by the Japanese government through its Grant Assistance for Japanese non-government organization (NGO) Projects under Japan Official Development Assistance (ODA).
The P7.2 million or US$171,060 will be used to control TB in the urban poor areas in Metro Manila in particular in the areas of Payatas in Quezon City and in Tondo, Manila.
Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Makoto Katsura said: "Around 400,000 low-income residents will benefit from this project."
The Philippines remains to be burdened by the tuberculosis disease and ranks the ninth among the 22 countries hampered by this life-threatening communicable disease. It also ranks the third of high TB incidence in the Western Pacific Region.
Maho Suzuki, representing Dr. Eiichi Nakamura, President of the Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association (Jata), a Japanese NGO, signed a grant contract for the Tuberculosis Control Project "Stop TB para sa Lahat," at the Embassy of Japan.
The fight against this disease continues to be a major global health concern. The Direct Observed Treatment, Short Course (Dots) is the core strategy of TB therapy and the Philippines has already acquired the World Health Organization (WHO) standard for this treatment.
However, the prevalence rate of TB continues to be relatively high especially in urban unhygienic or slum areas. These are attributable to problems such as inaccessibility for health workers to enter these areas, insufficient facilities for TB treatment, discontinued treatment due to frequent relocation of patients, among others.
Records of the Department of Health (DOH) indicated that yearly, about 75,000 Filipinos were inflicted with the disease.
For the past 15 years, the Research Institute for Tuberculosis/Jata has contributed in curbing the spread of TB in various areas in the Philippines through the Jica technical cooperation scheme.
This new project aims to improve TB control through quality assurance of TB Dots, networks with stakeholders involved in TB containment and advocacy activities for target beneficiaries, in partnership with Philippine NGOs.
The Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects was launched in 2002 to enhance cooperation between the Government of Japan and NGOs in the implementation of ODA to promote effective and efficient aid for developing countries. (MSN/Sunnex)
