DOH warns of rising TB cases among children in W. Visayas

The Department of Health regional office in Western Visayas (DOH-6) is calling on parents to submit their kids to vaccination to prevent diseases such as meningitis and disseminated or widespread tuberculosis (TB).

DOH-6 Senior Health Program Officer Christine Mosqueda said in an interview on Tuesday that Western Visayas has recorded 1,134 TB cases among children in 2021; 782 in 2020; and 1,488 in 2019.

“Our target supposedly for the number of children to be detected is 12 percent of the total TB cases notified,” she said.

In 2021, they achieved only 3 percent of the 12 percent target from implementers on the ground.

She added they could not categorically state if TB incidence in the region, which covers zero to 14-year-old kids as per the TB program, is alarming.

However, there are missing cases of undiagnosed or unreported that could have infected others or worsened.

Mosqueda added that due to the stigma brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), people tend to hide when they have cough, a symptom of both TB and Covid-19.

In a DOH presser on Monday, pediatrician Dr. Jerrymae Blasurca said that TB vaccine bacille Calmette-Guerin (BGC) that is given at birth helps prevent the disease.

“BCG prevents the severe type, particularly TB meningitis. There is a 70 percent chance of death once a child has TB meningitis,” she said.

Mosqueda said that it is important that an investigation is conducted once a case of TB is detected among children because it is possible that there is at least one adult with the disease, too — within the household or from interaction outside.

To ensure that children below 2 years old are fully immunized, the DOH-6 holds routine and catch-up vaccination every last Thursday and Friday of the month from April to June.

The campaign targets to reach 52,000 children all over the region, making sure that they avail of the primary series of vaccines. (PNA)