Daijiworld Media Network - Manila
Manila, Nov 13: The Philippines has stepped up its campaign against tuberculosis (TB) with an ambitious plan to screen 12 million citizens nationwide by 2026, the Department of Health (DOH) announced on Thursday.
To scale up and accelerate TB detection and treatment, the DOH has proposed a ?4.2-billion (US$71 million) budget for 2026 — almost double the ?2.6 billion (US$44 million) allocated for 2025.
“We are already using ultra-portable, AI-powered chest X-rays and WHO-recommended Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests to rapidly screen and diagnose TB cases,” said Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, according to the DOH. He also highlighted the rollout of a new all-oral regimen for drug-resistant TB that reduces treatment duration from two years to just six months.
Globally, there were an estimated 10.7 million TB cases in 2024, with the Philippines accounting for 6.8 per cent, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The country continues to face a heavy disease burden, with around 100 Filipinos dying of TB every day, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Tuberculosis, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, primarily affects the lungs and spreads through the air when infected individuals cough, sneeze, or spit. Though preventable and curable, TB remains the world’s deadliest infectious disease, killing about 1.5 million people each year.
The WHO notes that TB is the leading cause of death among people living with HIV and a significant contributor to antimicrobial resistance. Most TB cases occur in low- and middle-income countries, with about half of the global burden concentrated in Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, and South Africa.
An estimated one-fourth of the global population is infected with TB bacteria, though most never develop active disease. By intensifying screening and introducing faster, patient-friendly treatments, the Philippines hopes to significantly curb transmission and reduce TB-related deaths in the coming years.