USAID engages NCR LGUs to strengthen TB response amid COVID-19 pandemic

From the Philippine Information Agency (Oct 6, 2020): USAID engages NCR LGUs to strengthen TB response amid COVID-19 pandemic (By Jimmyley E. Guzman) 

PASIG CITY, Oct. 6 (PIA) -- The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its TB Platforms Project, continues to provide technical assistance to DOH National Tuberculosis Control Program in engaging local government units (LGUs) to strengthen their tuberculosis response amid the pandemic.

Since the start of the community quarantine, USAID’s TB Platforms has been collaborating with LGUs in the National Capital Region (NCR) in ensuring continuous provision of TB services in hospitals and TB treatment centers.

The project team has been leading webinars on infection prevention and control (IPC) for TB and COVID-19 for city health offices, health facilities, private companies as well as for media networks to provide basic information on IPC guidelines as journalists cover stories related to the pandemic response. The project team also provided trainings for and youth organizations who are providing support for both TB and COVID-19 response like relief operations and information dissemination campaigns.

The Taguig City Government led by Mayor Lino Cayetano welcomed the technical assistance from USAID’s TB Platforms which include various capacity building workshops for the healthcare workers and city health office personnel to ensure that TB services are available in the barangays especially during this most challenging time.

According to USAID, there will be engagement with health facilities and public-private partners who will be the LGU’s allies in providing quality and sustainable TB services especially for the senior citizens and children who are afflicted with TB.

Meanwhile in Manila, there will be active case finding for TB scheduled this week. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, who is leading the city’s COVID-19 response by providing free swab tests for the indigent and most affected sectors is also committed to make TB a priority. He has approved the back-to-back COVID-19 and TB screening to find and treat patients before they infect their communities.

In Caloocan and Valenzuela, USAID’s TB Platforms has been working with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for TB in the Workplace advocacy. As the workforce starts to return to their duty stations, IPC for TB and COVID-19 in various companies are being pioneered. USAID’s TB Platforms will launch a webinar series for human resource managers and office supervisors to include TB in their health and safety agenda for employees. After these IPC webinars, there will be other proposed activities like TB screening for employees and treatment referral.

The project team, on the other hand, is collaborating with the Department of Education (DepEd) to pilot a TB in children advocacy in Quezon City. With support from Mayor Joy Belmonte, the project team will be launching “Tibay ng Dibdib,” a social and behavior change communication strategy which include a true-to-life children’s storybook about two young sisters who survived TB.

The Quezon City of Government committed to find and treat children with TB. As the online classes for public school starts this week, the city health office is now preparing for the adoption of “Tibay ng Dibdib” storybook as a learning material for the health subject of elementary level and the implementation of the first-ever child-friendly TB screening tool which will be used in Quezon City public elementary schools as part of their support to USAID’s TB Platforms that will identify children with TB.

Likewise, the project team will continue to collaborate with the city government and DepEd on how to proceed with the partnership. (PIA-NCR)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1055219