What will you feel if you hear that you have tuberculosis or TB for the second time?
For 32-year-old David (not his real name), all he could say to himself was “Kalma lang (Be calm).”
David lives with his parents in Sitio Iram, Barangay New Cabalan, Olongapo City at a resettlement area set up for the indigenous group of Aetas. David was first diagnosed with TB at a private clinic in 2012 when he was working as a delivery driver in the city proper. He stopped taking his anti-TB drugs after two months when he felt a lot better.
David was among 47 residents in his village who got a free chest X-ray scan during a community TB screening in August 2024. The Olongapo City Health Office recently received the Fujifilm FDR Xair ultra-portable chest X-ray machine as a donation grant from the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines. With the help of the Center for Health Solutions and Innovations Philippines, Inc., the Olongapo City Health Office launched #INGATBAGA, a community TB screening initiative in villages with Aeta population.
In Sitio Iram, David and 16 other Aetas were found presumptive of TB by chest X-ray through an artificial intelligence (AI) software, during the initial run of #INGATBAGA. Among them, 11 were diagnosed with pulmonary TB after the official reading of a radiologist. TB nurse May Ann Mapa completed the enrolment of these newly diagnosed patients to the government’s free six-month TB treatment.
In 2023, only two Aetas were recorded in the local TB registry of Barangay New Cabalan. “This is a first for our TB clinic — to have these many Aeta residents diagnosed with TB.” Approximately 3,000 Aetas reside in the whole barangay. In previous years, Aetas who consulted for TB already had serious symptoms like hymoptysis or blood in phlegm before receiving treatment.
Active case finding (ACF) or actively screening community members who are at risk of TB is a strategy recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). “By doing these ACF events, we are able to find, diagnose, and treat as many residents with TB as possible.”
From January to June 2024, Olongapo City reported 938 TB cases, currently being treated at government health centers. This is approximately 63% of its annual target of 1,480 notified TB cases.
In the TB client’s profile record, May Ann classified David’s previous TB treatment as “failed, lost to follow-up.” She underscored the importance of completing David’s treatment regimen. David affixed his signature to a document embodying his commitment to complete the treatment.
After the initial orientation, May Ann took the time to visit David at his residence to give reminders about ways for David to remember taking his medicines. May Ann noted that David appeared to be the least worried among her new TB patients. “I hope his calm demeanor means he is serious about getting better and completing his treatment,” said May Ann. In two weeks, David must go back to the clinic for his next set of medicines.
“I will definitely come,” a calm David promised May Ann. (30)
