DOH launches inter-agency partnership against TB

A holistic approach and inter-agency collaboration pushed to eliminate tuberculosis in the country.

The Department of Health led by its officerin-charge Dr. Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire led the staging of the 7th National Coordinating Committee for Tuberculosis (TB-NCC) gathering for the year 2023.

The event also served as a national multi-sectoral table for the global End-TB campaign.

Together with Vergeire are officials from the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DPCB) and Health Promotion Bureau (HPB).

Different government sector representatives also attended the launch with the aim of re-engaging member agencies and stakeholders in efforts to implement their roles and mandates, and achieve their objectives as members of the NCC.

Discussions accordingly included the Philippine Acceleration Action Plan for TB (PAAP-TB) that will now serve as the foundational framework for NCC member agencies and stakeholders to align their existing mandates, policies and work programs with the overarching objective of TB elimination.

Vergeire emphasized the need to generate political support, elevate advocacy efforts, and reinforce commitments to tuberculosis elimination in the country.

"Tuberculosis is not only an issue for the Department of Health, but an issue that involves different sectors of our government. We need to implement collective actions rooted from our goal in unison with the Universal Health Care Law. Makakakita lamang tayo ng improvement kung magkakaroon ng consistency sa pagpapatupad ng ating mga plano kontra-TB," said Vergeire.