LAOAG CITY —THE Department of Health (DOH) in Ilocos Region screened 150 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) for tuberculosis (TB) during a mass health check at the Ilocos Norte Provincial Jail on August 28.
The Active Case Finding (ACF) drive was carried out by the DOH Ilocos Region in partnership with the Ilocos Norte Provincial Health Office, Laoag City Health Office and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
DOH officials said the operation was aimed at detecting TB cases early in jails and other crowded facilities where airborne diseases can spread quickly.
Rheuel C. Bobis, OIC of the Local Health Support Division and head of the Communicable Disease Cluster, stressed the need to protect PDLs from the heightened risk of TB inside enclosed and densely populated facilities.
Health workers conducted systematic screening, testing and diagnostic procedures inside the jail to identify inmates showing possible signs of TB and provide immediate medical intervention when needed.
The DOH said early detection is crucial not only in treating infected PDLs but also in preventing the disease from spreading to jail personnel, visitors, relatives and nearby communities.
The activity was conducted in line with the National Tuberculosis Day Celebration and forms part of the region’s continuing campaign to curb TB through early detection and accessible healthcare.
Health authorities vowed to continue strengthening TB control efforts, particularly among vulnerable communities and other high-risk populations.
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