Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Health Threat to Motibot

Non-Achieving Status of the National Tuberculosis Control Program

 Community Health Problem #6  

            A potentially serious infectious disease that mainly affects the lungs, the bacteria that cause tuberculosis are spread from one person to another through tiny droplets released into the air via coughs and sneezes.

            According to the DOH, around 1 million Filipinos are estimated to have tuberculosis, and may or may not even know it. And around 760,000 Filipinos aged ≥15 years are estimated to have PTB. It remains a major public health concern, with the infectious disease among the top killers of Filipinos for almost a decade now.

            According to the gathered data at Sindangan Rural Health Unit, the disease is included in the top leading causes of mortality in barangay Motibot 2014-2019.During the house-to-house surveys, it has come to the attention of the researchers that there are 7 residents of Motibot that had Pulmonary Tuberculosis and some are currently undergoing TB DOTS from 2014-2019.There was also 1 reported mortality in 2019.

            The sudden discontinuation of the NTCP in barangay Motibot enables the problem. The residents are unaware of the risks, signs and symptoms, complications and management of the disease. A few number of households have about 12 members that live together which makes Pulmonary Tuberculosis a threat because of the crowding index. The number of reported cases may be few, but it still counts as a threat because of the nature of the disease and how it is easily transmitted through air.

            Together with the community, the group came up with strategies to address the problem. The strategies include formation of TB program core group (Team moTBot), conduction of lectures on  detection of PTB and proper referral system, conduction of training on proper specimen collection and transport, procurement and endorsement of collection kits, PPE, and biohazard bins identification of cases, and health education. Scheduling of specimen collection every 2 weeks will also be proposed. The people that will be manning these programs will include the researchers, the barangay health nurse, barangay health workers and volunteers.

FATIMA AYESHA DUGASAN

ADZU-SOM