07 Aug Philippines: Philippine Business for Social Progress implements ACCESS TB Project to Strengthen Search for the Missing People
[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_separator type=”normal” thickness=”2″ up=”20″ down=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”1476″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1533684961578{padding-bottom: 32px !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern”][vc_column][vc_column_text]ACCESS TB (Advancing Client-centered Care and Expanding Sustainable Services for TB) is a three-year project under the country’s Global Fund TB grant, managed by PBSP. In the second quarter of 2018, the project has begun pushing 4 strategies as part of the efforts to find the missing people with TB. The target populations for these activities are located in 3 regions of the Philippines: National Capital region, Region 3 and Region IV-A, which combined, represent around 40% of all TB cases in the country.
The first strategy is Mandatory TB Notification – a provision under the new TB law that requires all private physicians managing and treating TB to notify their cases. The project hired 150 field staff to do the orientation and engagement with private health practitioners from the 3 regions. The physicians have begun to report their TB cases using an online notification platform. Reports for the period have not yet been finalized but so far, 4’000 cases have been reported using this system, which would not have been notified otherwise.
The second intervention implemented by the project is TB Mass Screening in Jails. All inmates from jails and prisons in the big 3 regions will be screened for TB using chest x-ray. Those with x-ray results with abnormalities will then be tested using GeneXpert, and the detected people with TB will be enrolled and treated. This is an ongoing activity that will happen throughout 2018.
The third approach is Systematic Screening of Vulnerable Populations in communities – similar to TB Mass screening in prisons, identified vulnerable populations are screened using chest x-ray and Genexpert, and the people with a positive TB result receive the adequate treatment. This is also an ongoing activity that will take place throughout 2018.
For the second and third TB finding models, the project will introduce the use of artificial technology to ease the reading of chest x-rays. At the moment, radiologists are the ones doing each reading, which can be subjected to long turn-around times due to workload and availability of service providers. With the installation of artificial technology, the results from digital chest x-rays will be read within seconds and patients with abnormalities can be immediately tested using GeneXpert.
The fourth strategy is Community Referrals from Volunteers – 534 out of 600 engaged community volunteers have been trained to look for people with presumptive TB in the community and refer them to the health centers for testing and treatment.
The interventions seek to address common barriers such as the lack of availability and access to TB services, especially for the vulnerable populations such as prisoners or the elderly who may be physically unable to visit health facilities. Poor health seeking behavior is another issue that is being addressed by the project with the help of community volunteers who educate and encourage people with presumptive TB to seek treatment. In some cases, the volunteers accompany the patients to health facilities to ensure they receive the proper treatment.
With the month of August being celebrated in the Philippines as the National Lung Month, enhanced awareness activities on TB are implemented and more screening for TB across the country is being conducted by many partners.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]