ILOILO — The Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO) is set to roll out thyroid health screening in primary care facilities across the province in a major public health initiative aimed at detecting thyroid disorders early and preventing serious complications among residents.
The screening program, which will be implemented in partnership with ABCs for Global Health and supported by Merck, seeks to strengthen community access to thyroid testing, timely treatment, and long-term management of thyroid-related illnesses.
“The project aims to integrate thyroid health screening into primary care services, improving community access to early detection, timely management, and appropriate treatment of thyroid disorders,” IPHO said.
According to the PhilTiDes 1 Study conducted in 2008, thyroid disorders such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism affect around eight percent of the population.
Symptoms often include fatigue, weight changes, mood shifts, and brain fog — conditions that may go unnoticed for years and eventually lead to serious metabolic, cardiovascular, and mental health complications.
Provincial health officials stressed the urgency of the initiative, noting that thyroid disorders continue to affect an estimated eight percent of the population but are often diagnosed only after symptoms worsen or when patients already require surgery due to thyroid enlargement.
IPHO recently conducted an orientation for Municipal Health Officers and program coordinators in coordination with ABCs for Global Health and Merck to prepare local health units for the program’s implementation.
Present during the orientation were Dr. Arthur Gallo, medical director of ABCs for Global Health, and Dr. Joey Tabula of Merck.
The initiative was formalized through a memorandum of agreement signed on April 7 between ABCs for Global Health and the Iloilo provincial government. Signatories included ABCGH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Arthur Gallo, Provincial Administrator Dr. Raul Banias, and IPHO head Dr. Maria Socorro C. Quiñon.
Under the agreement, ABCGH will provide specialized thyroid test kits to primary care facilities across Iloilo province to expand screening services beyond urban centers.
The partnership will also supply point-of-care testing machines to IPHO and primary care facilities to allow faster and more accurate diagnostic processing at the local level.
“A Structured Referral System: Patients who test positive don’t just get a result and go home. They get connected to medical management and the follow-up care they deserve,” the report stated./PN
