Manila: The Department of Health (DOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are ramping up efforts to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) in the Philippines, aiming to screen 12 million Filipinos nationwide by 2026.
According to Philippines News Agency, this initiative is part of the newly approved Philippine Strategic TB Elimination Plan Phase 2, set for 2025 to 2030. This plan aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to intensify efforts against TB, covering prevention and treatment. The plan focuses on expanding TB services’ reach and efficiency.
The DOH’s proposed 2026 budget under the National Expenditure Program allocates PHP4.2 billion for TB programs, nearly double the PHP2.6 billion earmarked in 2025. Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa emphasized the use of technology and innovation to accelerate TB detection and treatment. Ultra-portable AI-powered chest X-rays and WHO-recommended Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests are being utilized for rapid screening and diagnosis.
An innovative all-oral regimen for drug-resistant TB has been introduced, reducing treatment time from two years to six months. The DOH reported a more than 50 percent increase in enrollment for Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment (TPT) in 2024, supported by shorter TPT regimens and expanded contact investigations. The TPT program now includes contacts of drug-resistant TB cases and is under advanced programmatic implementation.
Children with non-severe, drug-susceptible TB are benefiting from shortened treatment courses, with a four-month regimen replacing the traditional six months. The DOH is also promoting awareness and early treatment through expanded social and behavior change campaigns, such as the TPTodo caravans, which educate communities on preventive treatment and the importance of early care-seeking.
The national campaign is guided by the Philippine Acceleration Action Plan for Tuberculosis, uniting government agencies, civil society, and private partners with the goal of eliminating TB by 2035. WHO acting representative to the Philippines Dr. Eunyoung Ko described tuberculosis as a global challenge, noting that progress in any country contributes to worldwide efforts to end the disease.
Dr. Ko stated that the WHO remains committed to supporting the DOH at both central and subnational levels, with places like Guimaras striving to become the country’s first TB-free island. Globally, an estimated 10.7 million TB cases were recorded in 2024, with 6.8 percent in the Philippines, equivalent to 625 Filipinos developing TB per 100,000 population. Despite TB being one of the leading causes of death in the country, claiming about 98 lives daily, there has been a 3 percent reduction from the previous year.
Through stronger funding, innovative screening technologies, and sustained community engagement, the DOH and WHO reaffirmed their commitment to curb TB transmission, improve treatment outcomes, and move closer to ending tuberculosis in the Philippines by 2030.
