ANTIQUE – The local government of Laua-an has expressed alarm over high cases of highly contagious tuberculosis (TB) infections in the municipality.
Joenes Jereza, Nurse II and Health Promotion Designate of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), said they diagnosed 224 cases from Laua-an town and provided treatment to 175 patients in 2023.
For the first quarter of this year, the IPHO diagnosed 46 cases – lower than the 50 cases in the same period last year.
Jereza said these recorded cases might have close contact with TB patients, and could have acquired the disease through droplets, causing an increase in the cases.
The health officer attributed the high detection rate to the active case finding with the help of the Department of Health, the Global Fund and free mobile X-rays.
Following this, Mayor Aser Baladjay issued a directive for all frontliners, particularly barangay health workers, to use facemasks to prevent the further spread of the disease.
“There are two barangays in our municipality where TB cases have been confirmed,” he said, adding that most of the cases came from barangays Jaguiquican and Jinalinan.
The mayor added that patients are urged to go to the Rural Health Unit once they have the warning signs of TB such as fever, cough, and weight loss.
He said the treatment for the first two months is very crucial to prevent transmission to close contacts and other vulnerable groups.
Meanwhile, Antique province logged 759 TB cases in the first quarter of 2024, with a 19 percent treatment coverage rate.
The total cases for 2023 were 3,180, with a 79 percent treatment coverage rate, IPHO data showed. (Philippine News Agency)
