LGU Awardees of the prestigious DOH “Race to End TB” Annual National Awards from Ilocos Region pose for posterity with DOH- Ilocos Regional Director Paula Paz M. Sydiongco (center) and Regional TB Coordinator Ana Fe Dumo Perez during the awarding ceremony held on August 16, 2023
THREE Local Government Units in the Ilocos Region including the Department of Health (DOH)– Regional Office bagged prestigious awards during the DOH “Race to End TB” Annual National Awards for their efforts in implementing tuberculosis (TB) treatment services in their respective municipalities held in Ortigas, Quezon City on August 16, 2023.
The winners were awarded based on the five Tuberculosis outcome indicators – treatment coverage rate, population testing rate, bacteriologically-confirmed treatment enrollment rate, drug-resistant success rate, and TB preventive treatment enrollment.
Ilocos Norte Province received two awards for the Municipal Level category for the first quarter of 2023. The silver prize was given to the municipality of Carasi for the Population Testing Rate having tested 1.465 % of presumptive TB patients using the MTB/Rif Test while the municipality of Adams obtained the bronze award for the same indicator with 1.282 % of presumptive TB patients tested with MTB/Rif Test
The MTB RIF test simultaneously detects Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and resistance to rifampin (RIF) in less than 2 hours.
The municipality of Bantay, Ilocos Sur was conferred with the Silver Award for the Treatment Coverage Rate Municipal Level Category with 144.7% notified and enrolled TB cases for 2022.
Likewise, the DOH regional office also received the bronze award for the Regional Level Category for the Population Testing Rate Indicator with 0.032% of presumptive TB patients tested with MTB/Rif Test for the first quarter of 2023.
Regional Director Paulas Paz M. Sydiongco extended her gratitude to the LGUs for their commitment and dedication to end and achieve a TB-free community. “Collective effort from the local chief executive, municipal health officers, and our barangay health workers were the valuable factors in successfully eliminating TB cases.”
“Together, we can confidently say. “Yes, We Can Eliminate TB in Region 1,” she exclaimed.
The DOH Race to End TB 2023 Annual Awards serve as a motivation for regions, provinces, and municipalities to continue their commitment to providing healthcare excellence and ensuring that the well-being of every resident is prioritized.
This year’s awarding was part of the celebration of National Lung Month, which banners the theme “Healthy Lungs para sa Healthy Pilipinas”.
Awardees from the municipal and regional level receive plaques from DOH Secretary Ted J. Herbosa during the DOH “Race to End TB” Annual National Awards held in Ortigas, Quezon City on August 16, 2023 .
DOH-Ilocos Regional Director Paula Paz M. Sydiongco and Secretary Ted J. Herbosa led the lighting of the ceremonial torch to emphasize the joint actions of the regions and individuals carrying the torch to accelerate efforts and symbolically pledge to join the race to end TB in the country.
