ILOILO — With tuberculosis (TB) cases in Western Visayas estimated at over 22,000 in 2023 — far more than reported — health authorities in Iloilo are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to speed up detection.
The Philippine Tuberculosis Society, Inc. (PTSI) and the Provincial Health Office (PHO) have teamed up to roll out the SCREENS to End TB Project, targeting 12,000 free chest X-rays across the province.
Funded by the Stop TB Partnership, the project aims to diagnose at least 360 confirmed TB cases, including close contacts of those infected.
A key feature of the initiative is the deployment of ultra-portable X-ray machines equipped with AI capabilities, enabling screenings even in remote barangays and island communities. On average, 250 individuals are expected to benefit daily, with services offered at no cost.
Residents can avail themselves of the screenings through their Rural Health Unit (RHU) TB Program Coordinators, who can schedule activities using PTSI’s online system. This streamlined process is intended to ensure timely detection and treatment.
Health experts continue to stress that TB remains a serious infectious disease, spread through the air by coughing, sneezing, speaking, or singing in poorly ventilated spaces. They recommend biennial chest X-rays to uncover hidden infections, warning that unchecked TB remains a major public health threat in the region.
TB is a serious infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It spreads through the air when an individual with infectious pulmonary TB coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings, particularly in enclosed and poorly ventilated spaces.
In the recent National TB Day here, PTSI revealed that Iloilo province had an estimated 13,277 TB cases in 2023 but only 8,964 were reported.
Capiz logged 4,012 of the 5,218 estimated cases; Guimaras 694 of 1,221; while Iloilo City recorded 2,946 cases, it added.
The group added that preventive treatment coverage remained low — 69 individuals in Capiz, 124 in Iloilo province, 56 in Iloilo City, and eight in Guimaras received Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment (TPT).
“We rank number one in Southeast Asia and fourth in the world for TB burden. This means we are one of the countries with the highest number of TB cases, following India, China, and Indonesia,” said former Health secretary Dr. Paulyn Jean Roselle Ubial.
Only 19% of those experiencing symptoms go for check-ups, she said.
Common symptoms to watch for:
* Cough lasting 2 weeks or more (sometimes with blood)
* Fever and night sweats
* Unexplained weight loss and loss of appetite
* Chest pain or shortness of breath; persistent fatigue
* In children: poor weight gain, persistent cough, lethargy
“Our coverage of TB preventive treatment is alarmingly low. We cannot achieve elimination if we only treat active cases and latent cases — those with symptoms or abnormal X-ray findings. Asymptomatic TB cases that still show infection on X-rays are often overlooked. We will never eliminate TB if we only focus on treating the sick,” Ubial emphasized.
She added that stigma is keeping people away from clinics.
The Department of Health in Western Visayas urged high-risk groups — close contacts of TB patients, people living with HIV, and those with weakened immunity or living in crowded settings—to seek consultation./PN