The province of Negros Oriental together with the Department of Health and the USAID TB Innovations and Health Systems Strengthening Project (TBIHSS) pulled resources to mark National Lung Month (in August) through its campaign on “Para Healthy Lungs, Pa-Check Ka Lungs.” In the last two days last month, a series of events raised awareness about early detection and prevention of tuberculosis across 10 barangays in the city. The culminating event was held at the Lamberto Macias Sports Complex on August 31.
Free pre-screening for TB check-ups and information sessions were offered in the following barangays: Piapi, Daro, Candau-au, Taclobo, Bantayan, Poblacion 7, Poblacion Cervantes 8, Tinago, Calindagan, and Looc. The activity maximized community participation and empowered those at risk of contracting TB by raising their awareness and encouraging a culture of proactive lung health management.
According to Health Assistant Secretary Maylene Beltran who came over to Dumaguete, in the World Health Organization’s TB Report in 2022, the country stands among the top three countries burdened by TB. “Despite pandemic disruptions to healthcare, TB cases are rebounding from 2021, revealing persistent community prevalence,” Beltran said. She added that the country remains in the high-burden category for TB, HIV-associated TB, and other similar ailments through 2021-2025 as per WHO projections.
Beltran continued that we can progress toward Universal Health Care, multi-sectoral collaboration, and up-to-date technologies to ensure health service delivery to more Filipinos and health promotion across life stages and settings. The Philippine Acceleration Action Plan for Tuberculosis for 2023-2025 was recently launched, uniting agencies in their commitment to eliminate TB for improved health for all Filipinos.
The culminating event was highlighted by free x-ray examinations and consultations, free flu and HPV vaccinations, cooking demos, free dance and exercise classes, food stalls from local concessionaires and farmers, a mood wall with stickers that attendees can write on, and distribution of reproductive health materials.
Discussions likewise focused on different aspects of health such as good nutrition, physical activity, immunization/vaccination, prevention of substance abuse, reproductive health, and mental health.
The “Para Healthy Lungs” initiative was spearheaded by USAID TBIHSS in support of the national TB elimination efforts of the DOH. The project was developed in compliance with the WHO’s End TB Strategy, which started in 2014, with the goal of ending the global TB epidemic by 2035.
The WHO Global TB Report 2022 reported an alarmingly large global drop in reported number of people newly diagnosed with TB in 2021, with the Philippines being one of the three countries that reported the most reduction in 2020 because of the lockdowns imposed by the CoViD-19 pandemic.
In 2022, TBIHSS created the Para Healthy Lungs, KonsulTayo communication strategy to support DOH’s Healthy Pilipinas campaign. Para Healthy Lungs aims to increase knowledge, influence attitudes, and promote the adoption of behaviors related t lung health and TB control.
The government and the private stakeholders encourage the public to join hands and continue spreading awareness about the importance of maintaining healthy lungs in their families and communities. – NWI
