PASIG CITY, Oct. 13 (PIA) -- The USAID’s TB Platforms, in collaboration with the City Government of Malabon, recently held a webinar to bolster infection prevention and control for tuberculosis (TB) and COVID-19 in the workplace settings.
Malabon City Health Officer Dr. Roberto Romero along with Assistant Secretary Ma. Theresa Cucueco from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Regional Director Corazon Flores of the Department of Health (DOH) Center for Health Development National Capital Region (CHD-NCR) highlighted the need to ensure that all barangays and health facilities are practicing IPC for both TB and COVID-19.
USAID’s TB Platforms Field Operations Area Manager Dr. Hansel Ybañez shared that the project team is working with the community healthcare workers in health facilities and treatment center in Malabon City as well as the other local government units in the NCR as the project continue to help strengthen TB response amid COVID-19.
During the discussion, Dr. Ybanez explained the importance of collaboration between the local government unit and health facilities. Dr. Roberto Romero presented the city’s initiatives in reaching out to their constituents and how the LGU provide basic information about TB and COVID-19 as killer diseases.
The webinar was participated in by some 50 participants from the New Flour House, FisherMall, MC Master Siomai, and Universal Canning who are also the LGU’s private partners in the implementation of local TB program in workplace settings.
The participants learned about the current policies of DOLE on ensuring provision of support for TB diagnosis, care and treatment for employees who will be found to have TB.
Meanwhile, DOLE Asec. Cucueco mentioned that employers should be actively involved in the LGU’s campaign promoting implementation of the TB program in workplace settings. DOLE representatives expressed support to Malabon City LGU and its private partners in the drafting of this TB policy specific for the business organizations in the city.
Moving forward, USAID’s TB Platforms and Malabon CHO will organize a meeting with the private companies‘ human resource officers for the drafting of Malabon City’s TB in the Workplace Policy in response to DOLE’s Department Order 73-05 which require LGUs to ensure employers are guided in the implementation of TB program in their respective workplace settings.
DOLE recently lauded Malabon City for its dynamic public-private partnership engaging private institutions to support the city’s COVID-19 response.
“It’s time to strengthen the city’s TB response especially because this pandemic impacts the lives of our workforce as well. If they are not protected, this will bring more problems to their respective families and communities,” Dr. Romero stressed. (USAID/PIA-NCR)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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