Making strides towards eradicating TB in the Philippines

The dangers of Tuberculosis

TB is the 6th leading cause of death in the Philippines, with the country facing one of the highest burdens of this highly contagious disease globally. About 1 million Filipinos have active TB according to the Philippine Department of Health, with approximately 70 people dying every day.

But this disease is treatable at a low-cost, and its spread can be slowed by proactive screenings and contact tracing of close family and neighbors. Through mobile x-ray vans, ICM is actively screening 100,000 people every year, and helping cure anyone with the disease.

Reaching those at-risk

ICM’s reach into thousands of the most at-risk communities across the Philippines allows us to find people who may have tuberculosis to screen and treat. The strong stigma around TB dissuades many Filipinos from seeking treatment. But ICM’s deep existing relationships with local leaders and pastors bridge the gap.

Our health teams bring mobile x-ray vans into remote communities, and gather hundreds of families for chest x-rays. The results are quickly analyzed and anyone with an abnormal x-ray is asked to complete a sputum test to confirm TB.

11% of people ICM screens are flagged as presumptively positive for TB. As of July 2024, 14,000 people have received further testing and/or treatment in just 18 months since the project’s launch.

Treating TB takes perseverance

The treatment for TB is relatively cheap, but if the whole course of treatment isn’t taken, it can lead to more resistant strains of the disease. ICM staff work closely with local health leaders to ensure anyone taking TB medications completes the full course. Almost 4,000 people have received treatment because of this intervention!

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