Mining firms support anti-TB awareness campaign in Palawan

FILE: Provincial government of Palawan (PNA photo)

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — The Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC) and the Coral Bay Nickel Corporation (CBNC) recently a community-based tuberculosis (TB) awareness advocacy activity in the southern town of Bataraza.

Hilaria Venus, Tuberculosis Program Coordinator, said Thursday that the awareness advocacy campaign was done in Barangay Igang-Igang, Bataraza in partnership with the Bataraza Municipal Health Office–Rural Health Unit (MHO-RHU) on September 19 to detect possible cases.

“Itong TB awareness advocacy ay isang prevention-curative approach, upang sa maagang panahon ay malaman at maberipika na natin kung sino-sino ang merong kaso ng TB, upang mabigyan ng agarang aksyon at lunas (This TB awareness advocacy was done as a prevention-curative approach for early detection and verification of who has TB so, we can help in the treatment),” Venus said.

A total of 164 residents of Igang-Igang, 95 of whom were adults and 69 were children, took part in the activity.

She noted that based on statistics, the Philippines ranks sixth in the world with the highest number of tuberculosis cases, and a prevalence incidence rate of 470 a year.

“Ngayong 2017, pang-anim na ang Pilipinas sa kaso ng TB at tumaas hanggang 470 ang incidence rate ngayong taon. Ibig sabihin yun ang dapat nating i-target ang mga pasyenteng dapat nating hanapin (This 2017, the Philippines is now number 6 where TB cases are on the rise with 470 incidence rate. This means we should look for those who have TB to help them),” Venus stated.

To enforce the prevention-curative approach, the program was divided into two parts: lecture proper and consultations.

The prevention part was the information, education and communication approach, and educating the community on the concepts, causes and effects of tuberculosis.

The curative part was the conduct of tests, such as Direct Sputum Smear Microscopy (DSSM) exam for adults in which samples of phlegm were gathered, and Purified Protein Derivatives (PPD) test, a skin examination for children 9 years old below, in which certain medicines were being tested to observe the patient’s reaction.

The RTNMC and CBNC funded the program in Igang-Igang to help preserve the lives of residents, who might be victimized by the ailment if they are not equipped with knowledge and information about TB, she said. (PNA)