Department of Health (DOH) Officer-in-Charge Secretary Dr. Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire met with the Stop TB Partnership Executive Director Dr. Lucica Ditiu to discuss collaborative actions towards the high-level meeting on Tuberculosis to be held in September.
During the meeting, Vergeire expressed the commitment of the Philippines for the UN High Level Meeting on TB in September, on top of a launch of an event to promote programs particularly on healthy workplaces and healthy institutions.
The health chief highlighted the importance of the Multi-Sector Governance Council (MSGC) to align multisectoral efforts in strengthening health service delivery towards Universal Health Care (UHC).
Meanwhile, Ditiu emphasized the importance of TB Patient Support Groups, which is why she suggested including other partners in the upcoming event.
Both officials also tackled innovative ways of bringing tuberculosis services closer to far-flung communities to ensure that everyone has access to healthcare services.
“We plan to build a consortium with the participation of at least ten private companies to push for the implementation of a healthy workplaces program.”
They discussed plans of building a consortium with the participation of at least ten private companies to push for the implementation of a healthy workplaces program.
Furthermore, Vergeire highlighted the DOH’s collaboration with other national government agencies, local government units and the private sector towards TB elimination.
“Tuberculosis is a worldwide problem, not just in the Philippines.”
“Tuberculosis is a worldwide problem, not just in the Philippines. We need to implement collective actions that are rooted in our respective countries so that each state can eliminate tuberculosis,” she said.
“Programs are already in place in the Philippines but rest assured that we will further improve and develop more actions as a fulfillment of the promise of the Universal Health Care (UHC) – to provide healthcare services for everyone, anywhere, anytime, in the country,” Vergeire stressed.
