DOH-7 sets P41M for additional cells to isolate inmates diagnosed with TB

CEBU, Philippines - In line with the national health agency's strengthened campaign against tuberculosis, the Department of Health-Central Visayas revealed it has allotted P41 million for additional isolation cells for inmates with TB.

Jocelyn Tabotabo, TB control program coordinator of DOH-7, said they have set the P41 million for the construction of  more isolation cells in the region which has 34 jail facilities but only has 14 isolation cells.

"Initially, we got P24 million as budget and we got an additional P17 million. So that's P41 million in total. This is excluding treatment drugs. The budget is for construction of isolation cells, trainings, among others," Tabotabo explained.

The funding for the construction of additional isolation cells is part of the National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTCP) campaign of  DOH.

The agency detected about 130 active TB cases in jails, and Tabotabo stressed that five are already multi-drug resistant.

"Most of our jails are congested and if one of  the inmates is TB positive and left untreated he can infect 10 more," the health coordinator said.

In a separate forum at the DOH-7 compound, Regional Director Jaime Bernadas emphasized the need for general medical exams for inmates.

"General medical exam is an important requirement which is not being followed before an inmate enters a jail facility. This should include TB screening so that authorities can separate TB patients from the rest of the inmates to prevent spread," Bernadas explained.

Moreover, DOH-7 continues to tap private hospitals for the establishment of  TB Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS).

"Last year, we started negotiations with big private hospitals for more successful implementation of  TB control program," the coordinator explained.

As of December 31, 2013, there are 96 PhilHealth-accredited TB DOTS centers in Central Visayas with Cebu topping the list with 42 TB DOTS centers, followed by Bohol with 35, Oriental Negros with 18, and Siquijor with one.

World TB Day is celebrated every March 25 with the theme "Reach the three million: A TB test, treatment and cure for all. — (FREEMAN)