Joint Program Review 2016 of the National TB Control Program

Culion Foundation, Inc. participated in the 5th National TB Program Review in the Philippines last March 6 to 18, 2016. In the joint review, the Department of Health - National TB Control Program (DOH-NTP) together with local specialists worked side by side with foreign consultants to assess the NTP within the context of 2010-2016 Philippine Plan of Action to Control TB (PhilPACT) and the Global Stop TB Strategy. Recommendations on new TB strategies will be included in the 2017-2022 PhilPACT. The review employed a participatory process that involved both international and local experts and stakeholders. CFI, as a partner in the Hospital-based TB DOTS Initiative Project, cooperated through its Program Manager. In the debriefing session on March 18, which was attended by CFI's Executive Director, Program Manager, and Resource Mobilization Officer, four high level recommendations were presented by Dr. Christy Hanson, lead international expert, to NTP stakeholders and partners. These are: NTP develop a roadmap towards sustainability; act on the TB law once passed; embrace and scale up technologies; and, innovate to be bold to solve problems.

Written and posted by: Ian Christopher Rocha (1 April 2016)