Abstract:
Tuberculosis has been a major cause of illness and death in the Philippines yet TB control efforts have historically, been fragmented and uncoordinated. The National TB Control Program of the Department of Health (DOH) has made significant advances in improving the quality and extent of its control efforts but the private sector and even other departments of government have not been integrated into the overall TB control activities. But the World Health Organization (WHO) said the ―Philippines has a long way to go‖ in eradicating tuberculosis (TB), even as the Health department confidently announced that the country will be able to attain the millennium development goal of reducing TB deaths by 50% within five years or 2015.
Recognizing the need for a more unified and concerted effort the DOH, assisted by the Philippine Coalition Against Tuberculosis (PhilCAT) organized various stakeholders into a working group to develop a comprehensive and integrated policy for TB control in the Philippines.
The development of the Tuberculosis Registry Analysis, Consolidation, Knowledge management, Evaluation and Reporting Tool (TRACKER) helps the DOH and PhilCAT TB coordinators to better assess the situation of TB in the country. The reports generated by the system can be used by the coordinators to determine which province or locality needs more attention and support when it comes to the treatment and prevention of TB.
