DOH – Ilocos Assistant Regional Director Pretchell P. Tolentino emphasizes the importance of seeking out people with tuberculosis and provide them proper treatment during the ITIS Summit held in San Juan, La Union.
THE Department of Health (DOH) – Ilocos Regional Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Program together with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) recently held the Integrated Tuberculosis Information System (ITIS) Summit to provide program updates to various TB program coordinators of region 1.
Disease Prevention and Control Section Head and Medical Officer IV Rheuel C. Bobis said the summit provided updates to the different National TB Control Program (NTP) core staff and directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS) Facilities on ITIS’ new developments in line with the latest guidelines and policy of the National TB Control Program.
“The ITIS is very important in our fight against TB because it is the official reporting tool of the National TB Program of DOH. Lahat ng TB data ay naka-capture ng ITIS interface at nakakagawa ng iba’t-ibang report tungkol sa TB na kinakailangan upang makatulong sa pagbibigay ng nararapat at wastong desisyon sa pagsusumikap nating wakasan ang sakit na TB at upang mapangalagaan ang mga pasyenteng may sakit na TB.”
The DOH -IT IS objective is to integrate all TB initiatives (Drug Susceptible TB, Drug Resistant TB, TB in Children, TB in Prisons, TB/HIV, and Laboratory, Stock Inventory); to improve process efficiency and effectiveness of implementing the NTP activities; and to ensure the quality of data being recorded and/or reported for the program.
Data from the Regional TB prevention and Control Program showed a total of 25,272 with presumptive TB were screened for the first and second quarter of 2024,; 90,877 with presumptive TB were tested; 13,108 persons with TB in all forms were notified; 159 people with drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) were notified; 21,523 people with drug-susceptible TB (DS-TB) were successfully treated; 835 people with DR-TB were successfully treated; and 1,301 people were enrolled in tuberculosis (TB) preventive treatment (or TPT) program.
Guest of Honor and Assistant Regional Director Pretchell P. Tolentino led the distribution of 200 cellular phones, external batteries and SIM cards to every TB Program Coordinators in the region to further strengthen ITIS implementation.
“These mobile phones will help in the collection of the needed TB data and will be directly link to ITIS. It will also ensure that referred tuberculosis patients reach their treatment facilities.”
“The DOH is continuously advancing innovations to better support the goal of a #TBFree Philippines,” Tolentino added.
The Integrated Tuberculosis Information System Summit was held on August 9, 2024 in San Juan, La Union in celebration of Lung Month and National TB Day.
