CAT Caraga calls for TB-free Philippines by 2020

"TB-free Philippines by 2020", this is the call of the newly created Coalition Against TB of Caraga Region (CAT-Caraga) during its launching in Butuan City recently.

The coalition is formed to generate, achieve and sustain commitment on National Tuberculosis Control Program among all stakeholders.

Members of the coalition includes several regional line agencies, Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) members, Public-Private Mix DOTS (PPMD) personnel, the academe, non-government organizations, people's organizations, religious organizations, local health officers, professional associations, private hospitals and the business sector.

On the said launching, the members of the board of directors for CAT-Caraga were elected. Strategies on how to encourage more people to seek treatment for tuberculosis were also discussed during the meeting.

Given the gargantuan task of TB control in the country, there is a need to strengthen networking and collaboration to combating tuberculosis as a public health concern.

TB has been recognized as the sixth leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Philippines, with 75 people dying every day from the disease.

Based on surveys about 100,000 new cases occur every year, ranking the Philippines number seven of the top 22 high burdened countries.

TB is particularly common in poor urban areas. A survey indicated that the urban poor developed TB 50 percent more frequently than the general urban population. (PIA-Caraga)

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