Bacolod City – An ordinance strengthening the implementation of Tuberculosis elimination efforts of the City of Bacolod to attain a TB free city, was approved by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod on third and final reading Wednesday.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Claudio Puentevella said TB remains a major public health concern in the country and in particular the city of Bacolod where the estimated TB cases for 2017 runs to about 1,323, based on the current formula provided by the National TB Program, despite the percentage accomplishment of identified TB patients completing treatment at 95 percent which is above the recommended national standard of 90 percent.
The incidence of drug-resistant (DR) TB showing an increasing trend is becoming a public health threat, it said.
The ordinance said the level of awareness of Programmatic Management of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis (PMDT) is low and is persisting to become a challenge to the national program. Thus, there is an urgent need to re-tool the health workers of the City of PMDT as an integrated activity in the Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (DOTSC) facility.
The family members of the person with TB play a key role in the care and support of TB patients, as well as in controlling the spread of infection, it said.
The identified hesitancy on the part of the family members to vouch their support for their TB patient is mainly influenced by stigma and financial constraints (i.e. travel expenses, food, board, and logging allowances) especially those residing in far-flung barangays where access to the needed health services is difficult and might need the support of barangay officials and/or their respective community volunteers (CVs), the ordinance said.
The success of TB treatment depends on the patient’s adherence, support and encouragement from the treatment partner, the patient’s family and the support of the community, it added.
The ordinance to be known as the “Tuberculosis-Free City of Bacolod,” provides that the city through its health facilities shall provide continuous education for its community volunteers (CVs).
All barangays shall form “Bantay TB sa Barangay” composed of selected CVs, barangay kagawad on health, and midwife which shall be responsible for TB information campaign in the barangay.
The amount of P1 million annually and an increase of 5 percent per year thereafter shall be appropriated for the implementation of this ordinance and disbursement shall be approved by the city mayor subject to the usual accounting and auditing procedures. (Chrysee Semillano via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy of TVDS)
