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

By Staff Writer

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)
Article Information
Comments (0)
LEAVE A REPLY
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts!
Related Articles
DENR pushes 2027 deadline for new Iloilo bulk water supply
A top official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said Iloilo must have a new bulk water supply operational by 2027, warning that the city’s rapid urban growth will further increase water demand in the coming years. Carlos Primo David, DENR undersecretary for integrated environmental science and head of

Treñas-Chu slams MPIW over permit delay claims
Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu criticized Metro Pacific Iloilo Water on Thursday for what she described as the company’s failure to directly raise concerns about alleged delays in the processing of permits for its desalination plant project in Barangay Ingore, La Paz. “I would have appreciated it if MPIW had informed
