A PARTY-LIST congressman seeks a stronger national program to combat the rising incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in the country.
AnaKalusugan Rep. Ray Reyes filed House Bill 9799 seeking to amend Republic Act 10767 or the Comprehensive Tuberculosis Elimination Plan Act.
“The previous global pandemic has highlighted that a lot of healthcare policies need to be updated and future proofed,” said Reyes, vice chairman of the House Committee on Health.
“TB has been a public health emergency for over three decades, yet we are nowhere close to its eradication. This bill aims to improve healthcare delivery systems that are continuous and can withstand external threats,” he said.
Reyes noted that there are only eight countries that account for 2/3 of the global cases of TB, with the Philippines contributing 7 percent of the global cases.
He noted that TB remains one of the leading causes of death in the Philippines, averaging 70 daily.
“These numbers prove that there is a need to revisit the existing legislation regarding the Philippines’ response to TB,” Reyes said.
The lawmaker expressed support for the plans of the Department of Health (DOH) to deploy ultra-portable X-ray technology in remote areas, but he also recognized that much more needs to be done.
“There is a need to beef up education-driven campaigns and TB notification and monitoring,” he said.
“Stigma surrounding the disease, availability of funds and medication, as well as places where trea ment and medicine are easily procured must be addressed,” he added.
Currently, TB patients can avail of the PhilHealth Konsulta package
which is a primary care benefit package that provides capitation
payments for annual checkups, selected diagnostics, and medicines.
“Through the urging of Congress, Philhealth recently approved an
increase in the fee or capitation rate of PhilHealth Konsulta to
P1,700 per patient per year. However, this is hardly enough,” Reyes
said.
Under the proposed measure, convergence of TB services and
strengthening of service delivery network is given priority.
The measure also encourages private sector participation by
recognizing CSR (corporate social responsibility)-related initiatives for TB elimination.
“Tuberculosis is an issue that involves different sectors and we
cannot emphasize enough the importance of a holistic approach and
collaboration in the fight against TB,” Reyes said.