Touring bus steers anti-TB campaign for Metro bus, jeep drivers

Bus and jeepney drivers can now learn about a health menace they may acquire on the job on this special bus.

The antituberculosis (TB) bus of oil giant Chevron Philippines Inc. (formerly Caltex) has started touring the city of Manila as part of its information campaign to fight tuberculosis.

Cherry Ramos, Chevron coordinator for policy, government and public affairs, said the campaign, dubbed  “Labanan ang TB Para sa Tsuper Healthy,” targets 2,500 public transport drivers as well as Manila residents.

Key areas

“The  bus will go to public transport terminals and key areas in the city to conduct onboard seminars on TB prevention, care and cure,” said Ramos. “We have video and audiovisual presentations inside the bus as well as a  nurse who is ready to answer queries about the disease.”

To strengthen its campaign in Manila, the anti-TB bus will also go to basketball courts, barangay halls and  schools. It will also and hold community-based seminars, particularly in Pandacan,  Chevron’s home base.

The project, which started last year in Makati City reaching 1,800 drivers and their families, was recently launched in Manila in coordination with the city health office, the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers, and the Philippine Business for Social Progress, which implements a TB program supported by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and malaria.

“We hope to encourage our public utility drivers, who are easily susceptible to the disease, to be aware of the various symptoms of TB and seek early treatment to avoid the spread of the disease. We urge them to avail of free checkup services at their nearest Directly Observed Treatment Short (DOTS)-course  certified health centers to protect themselves as well as their families and the community,” said Ramos.

Chevron said the campaign was created to complement the $5 million grant to  Global Fund by Chevron  for scaling up multidrug resistant TB treatment in the country.

Chevron is the first corporate champion of Global Fund, which is the world’s largest multilateral financier of AIDS, TB and malaria programs.

The PBSP, the principal recipient of the Global Fund-supported program against TB, aims to sustain TB control and ensure access to comprehensive quality TB health care in the country.

TB is  the sixth leading killer disease in the country. At least 75 Filipinos die of the disease every day.

Myth busters

Chevron said the information drive also seeks to dispel myths that TB infects only the lungs, since it also affects  other parts of the  body like the bones and liver as well.

The campaign also hopes to demolish misinformation that air pollution, dust and cigarette smoke can  cause TB, although these could weaken the body’s resistance and immune systems.

“The Caltex TB awareness campaign is founded on the belief that the best assistance we can give is by empowering people with the right and accurate information,” said Dean Gilbert, Chevron Global Lubricants area business manager.

“By knowing the difference between what is fact and fiction, the fight against TB is already half won,” he added.

Apart from the anti-TB bus, Chevron has also committed its network of facilities, including its gasoline service stations, for the dissemination of information on TB.

“Our gasoline attendants will distribute anti-TB flyers to drivers,” said Ramos. “They will also be pasting TB myth-buster stickers on  buses or jeeps at the terminals. We also have campaign posters displayed in our stations and other public areas and a Helpline Number (381-1010) to assist people who want more information on TB.

Ramos said they hope to replicate the campaign  in other cities in the future.