The Department of Health-Cordillera Administrative Region (DOH-CAR) on Wednesday said that 5,827 individuals have been enrolled in free tuberculosis (TB) treatment after being discovered through various community testing activities.

“There were 283,420 who were screened through X-ray testing and were confirmed through sputum testing to be positive for TB. The 5,827 have completed the eight months of treatment,” DOH-CAR Regional Director Dr. Karen Austria said during the “Kapihan” at the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) regional office in Baguio.

“If we screen more, then it is expected that we see more,” Austria said.

She said they are drumming up screening to treat carriers, as TB is curable but highly transmissible in closed settings and among household members.

Austria said there remains a gap in terms of testing even the close contacts of those who test positive.

“We were only able to test more than 2,000 contacts of those who were screened to be positive for TB. This is saddening as this means more people do not understand the importance of testing and the importance of treatment,” she said.

TB can be transmitted through the air by people with TB through coughing and sneezing without a mask or by simply spitting.

She said DOH data shows a 46 percent increase in deaths of TB patients from 2015 to 2022, with TB recorded as the eighth leading cause of mortality in the Philippines in 2025.

Most cases are among males aged 15 years old and above, comprising 61 percent of the deaths, followed by females 15 years old and above at 32 percent, and children zero to 14 years old at 7 percent.

“Most active cases are older adults 55 years old and above,” she said.

Among the symptoms of TB are prolonged cough of more than two weeks, fever of unknown origin, unexplained weight loss, and night sweats.

“If you have these symptoms, immediately go to the TB DOTS facilities to receive the appropriate treatment or testing. If you go to your health center, the laboratory and X-ray are free. If you need to undergo treatment, it is free, so do not be afraid of not having the funds for medication,” she said.

She pointed out that the government’s goal is to eliminate TB by exerting effort to catch those who are carriers, encouraging the public to make testing at least once a year a habit. (PNA)