The Department of Health Cordillera is planning to screen 56,777 residents of Baguio City for tuberculosis (TB) through the TB caravan.
DOH Tuberculosis Disease Prevention and Control Cluster Nurse V Joycelyn Rillorta encouraged individuals of all ages to undergo testing.
The caravan started on March 1 in Sagada, Mountain Province then proceeded to Besao, Mountain Province on March 2; March 8 in Pudtol, Apayao; and March 15 in Loakan, Baguio City.
It will continue on March 18 in Pilar, March 19 in Lacub, March 20 in Peñarrubia, and March 21 in Tubo, all in Abra; March 22 in Itogon, Benguet; March 25 in Kiangan, March 26 in Lagawe, and March 27 in Mayoyao, all in Ifugao.
As part of the initiative, the DOH has also organized the World TB Day 2024 commemoration on March 12 in La Trinidad, Benguet, and at the City Camp barangay hall in Baguio City.
On Feb. 15, the DOH administered TB testing at the Baguio Convention Center with 162 clients examined. The results revealed 23 individuals tested positive for TB.
Key participants targeted for screening were drivers, construction workers, and senior citizens, as they are considered the most susceptible to TB, Rillorta said.
The symptoms of TB include a variety of signs and symptoms, including fever without an appa-rent cause, excessive sweating, and unexplained weight loss.
These signs are often indicative of an underlying infection and should prompt individuals to seek medical attention for timely diagnosis and treatment.
To prevent its spread, Rillorta urges the public to take preventive measures such as covering the nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing, maintaining personal hygiene, refraining from smoking, and undergoing screening, testing, and treatment.
She said TB is a treatable condition and medications are provided free of charge at both public and private healthcare facilities. – Krizia Mae Pagusan
