THE City Health Office (CHO) reported 2,000 tuberculosis (TB) cases in Davao City during the first quarter of 2025, prompting intensified case-finding efforts across all 182 barangays.
Nikita Marie Jamiana, CHO’s TB program focal person, said the high number of recorded cases is largely due to the agency’s proactive approach to active case detection. She emphasized the importance of early diagnosis, noting that one undiagnosed TB patient could infect up to 15 others.
Barangay Buhangin recorded the highest number of TB cases, followed by Agdao and Taalomo South.
Earlier, Jamiana reported that TB cases in the city rose from 8,212 in 2023 to 8,601 in 2024.
“We are aiming to really zero out the cases of TB. During the pandemic nag focus tayo sa Covid diba and these signs and symptoms have overlapped with Covid, so technically natago ang ating mga cases that’s why we trying to reach those even those geographically inaccessible (We’re aiming to zero out TB cases. During the pandemic, our focus shifted to COVID-19, and many TB symptoms overlapped with it. As a result, several cases went undetected),” Jamiana said during the ISpeak media forum on June 5, 2025, at the City Mayor’s Office.
She assured the public that TB medicines remain readily available through the CHO, with additional support from the local government in augmenting supplies for those accessing public health services.
Since October 2024, the CHO has been reaching out to far-flung communities, coordinating with barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials to raise awareness and correct misconceptions about TB. These local leaders are being trained to act as health service partners in their areas.
For 2025, the CHO aims to deliver services to 57 barangays. Services during barangay visits include chest x-rays, kilatis-kutis (skin screening), lab tests, and screening for latent TB infection.
Jamiana underscored the need for early testing, especially for individuals with symptoms or those at higher risk, such as people living with HIV, diabetics, and smokers.
Despite having around 20 TB-DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course) facilities in the city, Jamiana noted that the number of patients getting screened remains low. To address this, the CHO is bringing screening services directly to communities.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), TB is an airborne infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs. It spreads through coughing, sneezing, or spitting by infected individuals. Common symptoms include a persistent cough, chest pain, fatigue, weight loss, fever, and night sweats. RGP