Makati shares portable X-rays with ‘sister’ local gov’ts to fight TB

Facade of the Makati City Hall. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Makati City has shared its portable X-rays with its sister local government units (LGUs) for early detection and treatment of tuberculosis (TB), Mayor Abby Binay said on Thursday.

Makati currently has 558 sister LGUs nationwide.

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“This portable X-ray unit is a key tool in our mission to combat TB in the Philippines. By sharing this resource with our sister LGUs, we aim to close the healthcare gap, especially in underserved and marginalized communities,” Binay’s statement read.

“With this portable X-ray machine, we can bring diagnostic services to fellow Filipinos often overlooked because of their location or lack of resources,” it added.

Binay previously said the sisterhood program that originated from her father, former Vice President and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, is a commitment to helping small communities.

Makati is also the first LGU to use Fujifilm Xair portable X-ray system for healthcare purposes. The system was recently launched in the city.

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Binay also announced a partnership with Ma. Eloisa Zepeda-Teng, the president and founder of TB People Philippines. She said they aim to “focus on early detection, management, and raising awareness that tuberculosis can affect different parts of the body, not just the lungs.”

In April, Makati Life Medical Center inked an agreement with United Imaging Healthcare and medical solutions firms Operista and Paeonmed Philippines to acquire an AI-powered digital PET/CT (positron emission tomography/computed tomography) system.

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The Department of Health recorded 612,534 TB cases in 2023, higher than the 444,037 cases in 2022.

Based on the 2023 World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global TB Report, the Philippines was among the eight countries that contributed to two-thirds of TB cases in the world in 2022.

In the 2022 report, the WHO said the Philippines was one of the countries with reduced cases of TB from 2020-2021, compared to 2019.

Makati reminded its citizens that the 200,000 yellow card holders and their dependents can avail the free KonsultaMD telehealth services.