Masbate: Health authorities in Masbate are intensifying tuberculosis (TB) case finding and expanding access to screening, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA) and island communities, the Department of Health in Bicol (DOH-5) reported on Thursday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Rovel Tamayo, the tuberculosis provincial coordinator of the Masbate Provincial Health Office, stated that the province will conduct regular active case finding in barangays and GIDA areas, with mobile X-ray services helping reach communities where access to screening is difficult. "Mobile X-ray services are being provided in Masbate to make screening more accessible to residents in hard-to-reach areas. Previously, patients had to travel to the city to get an X-ray, resulting in additional expenses," Tamayo said during a DOH Bicol press conference in Masbate.
She explained that chest X-rays are used for screening, with patients showing findings suggestive of TB being referred to a health facility for diagnosis, and those confirmed with TB being enrolled for treatment. The program also seeks to strengthen patient-centered treatment support, including active follow-up of missed doses and appointments.
Tamayo reported that Masbate posted a 91 percent treatment success rate for drug-susceptible TB from January to June 2026, compared with 92 percent in 2025. For drug-resistant TB, the province recorded a 69 percent treatment success rate in the first six months of 2026. The province also enrolled 404 individuals in TB preventive treatment from January to June 2026, following 512 in 2025 and 614 in 2024.
Tamayo also reported that Masbate's TB case notification rate was 35 percent from January to June 2026, compared with 73 percent in 2025 and 82 percent in 2023. The 2026 figure covers only the first six months of the year. She identified GIDA and island communities as major priorities because of the difficulty of reaching residents in these areas, with intensified case-finding aimed at improving TB case detection and reducing delays in diagnosis and treatment.
