Davao City’s health program gets a boost with the formation of another eleven tuberculosis task forces aimed at strengthening the city’s fight against TB, to bring the total number of task forces to 24.
“Tuberculosis is still considered one of the killer diseases in the country despite the advancements made by science in terms of providing treatment for this medical condition,” city council committee on health chair Dr. Samuel Bangoy said.
The council recently authorized Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to sign a memorandum of agreement between the city, the department of health and the World Vision Development Foundation, Inc.. The City originally entered into an agreement with World Vision in 2007 for the implementation of the Social Mobilization of Tuberculosis Project.
Bangoy said the signing of the MOA will pave the way for the implementation of Phase 2 of the TB program in the city. World Vision, he said, had committed to organize 24 TB Task Forces in the city and so far, only 13 such Task Forces have been formed.
“Tuberculosis is already highly treatable but many Dabawenyos are still suffering from the effects of the condition considering the increasing pollution in the environment and other factors that contribute to weak lungs and bodily systems,” Bangoy said.
Phase 2 of the Project will cover the period of January 2009 to December 2011. By this time, Bangoy said, we hope to educate our constituents on the important principles involved in the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis.
City health officer Josephine Villafuerte said the program had long been established and implanted by the local government particularly the CHO in coordination with other health agencies aimed at controlling TB infection in the city.
Bangoy said the program will go a long way not only in preventing and treating TB but also in mitigating the social and economic costs of the illness. He said TB medications are considered additional expenses for a regular income earning family, so the tendency is to make TB medicine and medication the least priority when there is an economic crisis in the family.
Unless patients can comply with their TB medications within the duration specified by their doctors, he said, then there is a possibility that the condition will become worse for the patient and the family.
Under the agreement, the city will provide monitoring, supervision and evaluation of the TB program. It will take charge of the capacity building requirements of the health workers involved in the program.
The City also committed to provide drugs for Category 3 patients and Single Dose Formulation for patients who have developed adverse drug reactions.
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