THERE is a perceived rise of tuberculosis in Davao Region and this is alarming the Department of Health.
Thus, DOH-Davao Region is going to the grassroots level to combat the fatal but preventable infectious disease.
DOH program manager of Tuberculosis Control Program Evelyn Gelito on Monday, March 13, said their incomplete data for 2016 has already reached 12,000.
But considering that the missing data are expected to come from identified provinces, they expect the numbers to go beyond the 15,000 cases in 2015.
A total of 100 died of tuberculosis (TB) last year, with Davao City having the most number.
With this year’s theme for the commemoration of the World Tuberculosis Day: “Sama-samang Tuldukan ang TB,” Gelito said they are intensifying their information, education and communication drive to the citizens about the risk of untreated tuberculosis by going down to the ground instead of the patients to go to the centers.
“This is quite an ambitious theme but we want to end TB, we want to have zero cases for TB, we want to have zero death from TB pero (but) we still have enough time kasi ang target natin (because our target) is until 2035,” she said.
She encouraged the public who are experiencing symptoms of TB like coughing for over a week, loss of weight and energy, poor appetite, fever, and night sweating to immediately consult a physician once these symptoms manifest.
As defined by DOH, tuberculosis is a disease caused by a bacterium called Mycobeacterium tuberculosis that is mainly acquired by inhalation of infectious droplets containing viable tubercle bacilli.
Infectious droplets can be produced by coughing, sneezing, talking and singing.
Coughing is generally considered as the most efficient way of producing infectious droplets.
“As I said, the cases for TB is increasing pero hindi dapat siya katakutan dahil may cure ang TB (but it shouldn’t be feared since there is already a cure for TB),” she said.