E-DRUG: Poor access to TB medicines in the Philippines
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Dear E-druggers,
I read your reactions with regards to the issue and reality about cases of
TB in the Philippines.
Medicine in the Philippines is very expensive. And not all can affords to
finish the course of medication. If there are medicines in the government,
not all up to the remote community able to avail it. Because the government
lacks budget to provide all the necessary medicines.
Tuberculosis has been described as the country's most dangerous public
health threat. According to Dr. Louis Saturay, a TB expert, the country's TB
situation has not been improving for the past 20 years. The WHO has ranked
the Philippines as the 7th country with the most cases of TB in all forms.
In the Western pacific region, we are ranked 2nd.
According to international TB expert Dr. John Peabody, only 45% of cases are
detected in the country. Of these, only 38 percent would be treated. Saturay
lamented that despite the gravity of the situation, the budget allocated for
health and for TB control remain inadequate. He said aside from lack of
medicines, there is a lack of microscopy center and microscopists. The
goverment harps on the alleged success of its Directly Observed Treatment
Short Course (DOTS) therapy. However, the chronic lack of TB medicines makes
this claim laughable. "Some persons cannot even start taking the medicines,
and many who start cannot contunie because they cannot get the needed
medicines for the entire course of treatment. Saturay said that some
patients under the DOTS have developed Multiple Dose Drug Resistance on Tb.
Taking into consideration also the economic situation of the patients who
needs money daily in order to avail the DOTS offered by the government. In
order to have x-ray or sputum procedure, the patient still spends amount for
it since even in the government hospitals you have to pay.
This reality has been the experienced of our community health workers and
networks directly in the community level. I hope I have shared a little
about the issue in our country from our actual experience in our work place
and environment.
Best Regards,
Rene Manangan,RPH
Council for Health and Development
72-A Times St, West Triangle Homes,
Quezon City, Philippines
ipmanangan2@yahoo.com
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