PRESS RELEASE
August 16, 2009
Office of Caloocan City Mayor Enrico “Recom” Echiverri
Ref. Public Information Office
Telefax 3244644
About 500 persons attended the first citywide convention of
Tuberculosis (TB) Task Forces conducted by the Caloocan City Government
highlighting the celebration of Lung Month.
According to Caloocan City Mayor Enrico “Recom” Echiverri, a total
of 24 TB task forces participated in the event aimed at intensifying
the information and education campaign relative to tuberculosis and the
TB control program.
He said the conference, organized by the Caloocan Health Department
in partnership with World Vision and Department of Health, also aims to
further improve TB case detection and cure for residents of Caloocan
City .
Mayor Recom added that among the activities lined-up for the
month-long celebration include anti-TB symposia at 189 public and
private schools in the city; posting of streamers and information
posters; distribution of IEC materials and leaflets; and simultaneous
foot-parade and motorcade in various health centers, all signifying the
city’s intensive fight against the contagious but curable lung disease.
During the program, City Administrator Russel Ramirez awarded
outstanding Directly Observed Treatment Strategy (DOTS) facilities,
treatment partners and cured TB patients who came to represent that the
free anti-TB treatment provided by the city government works.
Ramirez also assisted Mayor Recom in acknowledging 13 newly organized TB task forces as “TB TF Superheroes.”
Likewise, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) against TB was inked by
the Caloocan City Government, World Vision Development Foundation,
Incorporated (WVDFI) and the DOH.
World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy
organization dedicated to working with children, families and
communities to overcome poverty and injustice. In the Philippines, the
Social Mobilization on Tuberculosis (SMT) is World Vision's response to
the high incidence of TB in the country. SMT serves as the community
mobilization component of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis
and Malaria's (GFATM) TB program in the Philippines.
For her part City Health Officer Dr. Raquel So-Sayo said the bottom
line of the observance is to "take good care of your lungs and live
longer."
Dr. Sayo said that because of the important functions of our lungs
such as supplier of oxygen, remover of body wastes and toxins and
defender of our body against viruses, bacteria and other infectious and
noxious substances we must take good care of them.
TB Facts:
- 75 Filipinos die from TB everyday.
- TB is the 6th cause of death and of sickness in the country.
- The Philippines is 9th worldwide and 3rd in the Western Pacific among countries with the highest number of TB cases.
- TB is killing the most productive members of society, aged 30-59 years old and who are mostly male.
- The Philippines loses around P26.4 billion income due to premature deaths from TB.
- An untreated patient can infect 10-15 people in a single year.