Tag Archives: Science and Health

Ang Nakahahawang Kanser ni “Bantay”

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Camille Victoria M. Fernandez

[LATHALAIN] Nabahala ang aking ama sa madalas na pag-ubo ni Buddy kaya naman minabuti niya nang dalhin siya sa aming pinagkakatiwalaang beterinaryo. Kaya lang, nang siya ay sinusuri na, natuklasan namin na hindi lang pala ubo ang karamdaman niya. Bagkus, bumatid sa amin ang isa pang sakit na noon lamang namin narinig— ang Canine Transmissible Venereal Tumor (CTVT).

‘Di pangkaraniwang kanser

Ang CTVT ay isang nakahahawang kanser na ekslusibo lamang sa pamilya ng mga aso. Karaniwan ang CTVT sa mga bansang may klimang tropikal kagaya ng Pilipinas lalo pa kung maraming pagala-galang aso na aktibo sa sekswal na aktibidad.

Ang sagabal at masakit na bukol

Ang pagkakaroon ng tumor na may kasamang pagtutulo ng dugo kung ito ay tumubo sa ari, ay sinyales na positibo na sa CTVT ang isang aso. Karaniwan sa eksternal partikular sa ari umuusbong ang bukol sapagkat ang pakikipagtalik ang pinakamabilis at pinakamadalas na paraan upang maipasa ito.

Bukod pa rito, pwede rin namang tumubo ang bukol sa mga mucous membrane gaya ng mga labi, ilong, mata, o kahit na sa biyak na balat kung magkakaroon ng direktang kontak si “Bantay” sa asong positibo sa naturang sakit. Halimbawa, inamoy niya ang ari ng asong may ganitong kondisyon, ilang araw lang ay mahahalata na ang pagtubo ng bukol sa kaniyang ilong. Kung didilaan naman niya ang anumang parte ng katawan na mayroong bukol ay gayun din naman ang mangyayari sa kanyang mga labi. Maski kung makagat siyat ng isang asong may CTVT ay mahahawaan na rin siya nito.

Sa kabilang banda, walang pagbabago sa kasiglahan ng aso gaya ng sa pagkain o pakikipaglaro kung siya ay tinamaan ng CTVT. Wala ring taning ang buhay ng aso sa oras na siya ay mahawaan nito hindi kagaya ng kanser ng mga tao. Kaya lang, maaaring maging sagabal sa aso ang tumor lalo pa kung ito ay patuloy sa paglaki at pagkalat sa iba pang parte ng katawan.

Samantala, may mga naitalang kaso rin naman na ang CTVT ay kumalat sa mga lamang-loob ngunit ito ay napakabihira lamang. Subalit hindi dapat ito ikakampante ng may-ari sapagkat sa oras na kumalat ang tumor sa mga iba pang parte ng loob ng katawan gaya ng kulani, baga, atay, at pali o spleen, mga kadalasang lugar na pinagtutubuan ng tumor, maaari itong magdulot ng matinding komplikasyon.

Ang kaso ni Buddy

Sa kaso ni Buddy, nakuha niya ang sakit buhat sa pakikipagtalik sa aso ng aming kapit-bahay. Bilang nagpalaki sa kaniya, masasabi ko na gaya ng ibang lalaking

lalang siya ay napakaaktibo sa pakikipagtalik kaya naman basta may pagkakataon na siya ay makalabas ng aming bodega na kaniyang binabanatayan ay sinusulit niya namang talaga. Naaalala ko na tumitili pa siya sa gabi kapag hindi siya nakalabas sa maghapon lalo pa kapag nakikita niya ang mga babaeng aso ng aming mga kapit-bahay na pagala-gala sa labas.

Iyon nga lang, dahil sa hindi lamang sa pakikipagtalik nakukuha ang CTVT kung hindi pati rin sa pakikipagsalamuha, nahawaan na nga ni Buddy ang kaniyang dalawang kapatid, sina Scavenger at Bunso, na kasama niya sa pagbabantay ng aming bodega.

Kumpara sa kaniyang mga kapatid, ang kondisyon ni Buddy ay malala na. May lumalabas at tumutulo ng dugo mula sa kaniyang ari lalo pa kapag siya ay nakaalapas at nakipagtalik na naman sa mga asong nasa kalye. Mayroon na ring kahalong dugo ang kaniyang pag-ihi at namamaga na ang kaniyang ari dahil sa pagbulwak ng mismo nitong muscle gawa ng paglaki ng tumor. Dahil sa pangyayaring ito, minabuti naming dalhin siya kasama si Bunso upang ipakapon sa ospital ng mga hayop dito sa College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Los Baños (UPLB).

Bago sila sumailalim sa operasyon, sinuri muna sila ng mga estudyante ng naturang kolehiyo na sina Matt Calibo, Sherwin Camba, at iba pa nilang kagrupo. Ayon kay Calibo, pareho na ngang positibo sa CTVT ang dalawang aso. Ang kay Buddy ay malaki na samantalang ang kay Bunso ay hindi pa gaanong mahahalata bagamat may pamumula na sa kaniyang mga tainga at mga paa. Dagdag pa, inabisuhan ako ni Calibo na maaaring ikamatay ni Buddy ang gagawing opersayon sapagkat bumaba na ang bilang ng kaniyang white blood cells na siyang tumutulong sa pag-iwas mula sa matinding pagdurugo. Habang si Bunso naman ay may taglay pang resistensiyang mainam sa mabilis na pagrekober mula sa isasagawang opersayon.

Samantala, ilang araw bago ang kanilang operasyon ay napagdesisyonan ng  propesor nila Calibo sa surgery  na si Dr. Marco Reyes na hindi maaaring ipagpatuloy ang operasyon ng aking dalawang aso hangga’t hindi nagagamot ang kanilang CTVT.

Ang mabisang lunas

Bagamat isa sa mga lunas sa CTVT ang pagtanggal ng ari, hindi naman nito nasisiguro na 100 porsiyento ngang ligtas na mula sa sakit ang aso. Maaari pa rin siyang magkaroon kung aksidenteng matuluan ng dugo ang anumang bahagi ng kaniyang katawan buhat ng operasyon. Ang pangyayaring ito ay tinatawag ng mga doktor ng hayop bilang seeding.

Ang pinakamabisang paraan upang tuluyan ng mawala ang CTVT sa sistema ng isang aso ay sa pamamagitan ng pagsuswero ng Vincristine sulfate isang beses kada linggo sa loob ng apat hanggang anim na magkakasunod na linggo o depende sa pangangailangan.

Ayon kay Dr. Leila Flores, propesor sa Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences ng CVM, kahit na kayang bigyang lunas ang CTVT, maaari pa ring magkaroon ang isang asong tinamaan ngunit gumaling na. Papaano? Kung siya ay makikipagtalik muli o may direktang kontak sa mga asong may naturang sakit.

Ayon sa mga talaan, mayroon ng humigit 80 kaso ng CTVT ang nahawakan ng mga doctor mula sa ospital ng mga hayop sa UPLB simula ng taong 1990 hanggang Hulyo 2011.

Noong 2003, naitala ang pinakamataas na kaso ng CTVT sa Los Baños. Umabot ng 19 ang bilang ng mga asong ipinasuri na naging positibo rito. Ayon kay Dr. Flores, may nahawakan siyang kaso tungkol sa isang kilalang nagpapalahi at nagbebenta ng mga aso sa naturang bayan kung saan ang kaniyang inahing aso ay nahawaan ng ito ay ipakasta. Ang hayop ay naging sanhi upang maipasa ang sakit sa iba pang kasama niyang aso.

Ang nakasaad sa itaas ay isang pagpapatunay na hindi lamang tanging mga gala at napabayaang aso ang kandidato sa pagkakaroon ng CTVT kung hindi maging ang mga pinakaiingatang mga purong lahing aso.

Bukod pa roon, mas maraming babaeng aso ang may CTVT sa buong mundo. Base sa isinasagawang pag-aaral nila Dr. Flores, ang mga babaeng asong may edad tatlo ang mas delikado sa pagkakaroon nitong sakit. Napuna rin nila, base na rin sa kanilang mga datos, na ang panahon kung saan maraming aso ang nagtatalik— at nagkakaroon ng CTVT— ay sa pagitan ng mga buwan ng Oktubre at Nobyembre.

Sa kabuuan, unti-unti nang bumaba ang bilang ng mga asong dinadala sa ospital ng mga hayop sa UPLB na pumopositibo sa CTVT. Kaya lang nilinaw ni Dr. Flores na hindi sapat na basehan ito upang masabing tuluyan na ngang bumababa ang antas ng mga kaso ng CTVT hindi lamang sa bayan ng Los Baños maging sa buong Pilipinas. Ito ay sa kadahilanang tanging ang mga naging pasyente lamang nila na may naturang sakit ang kanilang naitala at kinonsider sa kanilang isinagawang pag-aaral.

Ayon sa mga pag-aaral, ang CTVT sa ngayon ay hindi dala ng virus. Ang cells ng pambihirang sakit ay maituturing na clonal na may kakaibang katangian kumpara sa mga malulusog na cells.

Ayon sa mga libro, may 2000 taon na ang nakalilipas mula ng magsimulang maghasik ng lagim  ang CTVT sa pamilya ng mga aso gaya ng mga lobo. Hanggang ngayon ay palaisipan pa rin sa mga mananaliksik at eksperto kung papaano nagsimula at nabuo ang nakahahawang sakit.

Samantala, ayon kay Dr. Flores, bagamat nakasulat sa karamihan ng mga librong nabasa ay hindi raw nakahahawa sa tao ang CTVT, may mangilan-ngilan din namang libro siyang nabasa na nagsasabi ng kabaligtaran.

“Based on books, there are reported cases of very, very rare occurrence of TVT among humans but there are no journal articles yet to prove this,” sabi niya. Gayun pa man, hindi natin dapat ipagsawalang bahala, lalo na ng mga taong may alagang aso kagaya ko, ang pagkakaroon at pagkalat ng CTVT kahit na ito ay hindi kasing sikat at kagaya ng ibang uri ng sakit ng aso na kapag tumama sa tao ay tiyak ngang nakamamatay gaya ng rabis at leptospirosis.

Mas mainam pa rin na naaalagaang mabuti si “Bantay” upang hindi siya magkaroon ng mga hindi kanais-nais na sakit.

Kung aalalahaning muli, karamihan sa mga nakamamatay na sakit ng tao sa panahon ngayon ay nagsimula sa mga hayop. Kabilang doon ang madcow disease, anthrax, at ang Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) na unang kumalat sa Hong Kong, China.

Ayon sa mga eksperto, ang SARS— ang sakit na pumatay sa libu-libong manok at iba pang uri ng mga ibon— ay pinaniniwalaang nagmula sa bird flu na dulot ng virus. Ito ay buhat ng pagpapabaya ng mga may-ari sa kalusugan at kalinisan ng kanilang mga hayop. Sa paglipas ng panahon, mas nagiging malakas at mas malawak ang pamiminsala ng mga sakit ng hayop na hindi binibigyan ng sapat na atensyon ng publiko.

Kadalasan na ang mga bata at matatanda ang madaling dapuan ng kung anu-anong sakit kaya naman kung ang isang aso na may CTVT ay pababayaan na lamang pagala-gala at makahawa ng marami pang aso, hindi malayong dumating ang araw na katakutan na rin ng milyung-milyong tao ang sakit na ito dahil sa napatunayan nang nakahahawa nga ito sa mga tao.

Pag-iwas sa pagkalat ng CTVT

Upang maiwasan ang pagkalat ng CTVT, ugaliing patingnan nang regular si”Bantay” sa isang magaling na beterinaryo. Sa ganoong paraan, madedetekta at mabibigyang lunas kaagad kung siya ay maging positibo. Isa sa mga suhestyon upang hindi magkaroon ng CTVT ang isang aso, lalo na kung ito ay madalas na lumalabas, ay ang pagpapakapon dito o ang tinatawag na spaying at neutering. Sa pamamagitan ng mga ito, nawawalan na ng gana ang aso sa pakikipagtalik at hindi na siya nagiging agresibo sa aspetong sekswal

Kaya lang, kahit na matanggalan na ng ari ang isang aso, hindi pa rin kasiguruhan iyon sa hindi pagkakaroon niya ng CTVT dahil maaari pa ring makuha ito sa pakikipag-amuyan at pakikipagsalamuha sa mga asong mayroon nito. Kaya naman mas mainam na kung palalabasin ang aso ay samahan na lamang ito nang nakatali upang maging kontrolado ang kaniyang mga gawain.

Sa suma total, mas maigi pa rin kung ang may-ari ng aso ay responsable kaysa sa hindi. Sa bandang huli, kung ipagsasawalang bahala lamang natin ang karamdaman at kalagayan hindi lamang ng ating mga aso maging ng iba pang mga hayop at sarili lamang nating kapakanan ang ating iisipin, tayo rin naman ang mahihirapan at maaapektuhan. Sapagkat ang lahat ng bagay ay magkakaugnay. Ang kahinaan o kalakasan ng isa ay kahinaan na rin o kalakasan ng lahat.

CENRO to complete planting trees for NGP by month’s end

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Suzeth A. Regalado

[NEWSFEATURE] Four hundred twenty (420) hectares of land in Laguna were identified to be part of the implementation of Executive Order (EO) 26. or the National Greening Program (NGP) for the year 2011. This is part of the move to complete planting 1.5 billion trees in 1.5 million hectares of land nationwide by the year 2016.

By end of October, the tree planting activities are set to be completed and the remaining months of 2011 would be dedicated for maintenance and identifying the NGP site for the year 2012. According to Forester Recillo, target areas in Laguna for the year 2012 will be doubled compared with this year’s.

According to Forester Noel M. Recillo, chief of the Forest Sector of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Laguna, NGP enjoins the different sectors of the community to participate in the effort to rehabilitate RP forests.

The identified NGP areas in Laguna are found in protected areas, locales with community based forest management, and urban watersheds. One hundred hectares of the target site under protected area is situated in Sitio Calo, Brgy. San Cristobal, San Pablo City; 150 hectares under Community Based Forest Management is situated at Brgy. Minayutan, Famy Laguna; and 200 hectares are distributed in target sites under urban watershed located in Malibanban watershed (80 hectares), LSPU Siniloan (100 hectares), Sta. Cruz watershed (10 hectares), and Magsaysay (10 hectares).

One of the strategies used by the greening program is social mobilization. It encourages more people to take part in the effort to conserve the forest. Different sectors of the community, including government bureaus, local government units (LGU), and private organizations have expressed their support to the greening program by taking part on the tree planting activities. NGP also enjoins government employees and participating students to plant ten seedlings individually per year.

According to Forester Recillo, the community’s participation in the greening program is very important. He emphasized that DENR itself can not accomplish the task without the help of the people, he added.

Students listen to a brief orientation before the tree planting activity at Mt. Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape (Photo courtesy of DENR-CENRO)

To increase the community members’ awareness about the greening program, DENR is implementing information-education campaigns through their website and collaboration with the media. Off site orientation are also conducted before the set date of the tree planting activity. This activity orients the participating school and organization on the proper technique of planting tree seedlings.  Part of the offsite orientation is a talk about the tree planting activity, video presentation, and an open forum. The importance and benefits of the National Greening Program are also explained to the students and members of the organization.

Participating students from Laguna College of Business and Arts and UPLB Grange Association climb to Mt. Banahaw for the Tree planting activity (Photo courtesy of DENR-CENRO)

According to Hermie Lantikan, Forester II, in charge of the records for reforestation at CENRO, the orientation is important in the tree planting activities so that participating sectors like students will value what they do, also the survival of the seedlings depends on how it was planted.

Aside from saving denuded forest areas, NGP seeks to contribute to poverty reduction, food security, biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation and adaption. Among the tree species planted on NGP sites are indigenous like the Narra. Other sites also plant fruit bearing trees which will also benefit the Public Organization and beneficiary group as a source of livelihood.

The greening program also covers Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) for the maintenance Community Based Forest Management site. In the case of Laguna, the identified CCT beneficiary is the Famy Upland Farmers Association. In other areas, plantations under urban watershed are maintained by the local government.

The total budget for tree seedlings per hectare of land is Php 6,000 which is bought on reputable nursery. An additional Php 2,500 per hectare is allotted for site preparation which will cover hole digging, bamboo, clearing of the site, and fertilizers. According to Forester Recillo Php 2,500 per hectare site preparation alone is too small.  The current proposal of the DENR to double budget allocation for NGP will help cope up with the project expenses, he added.

Proper planting of tree seedling is very important in the survival of the seedling. However, According to Hermie Lantikan, although off site orientations are done, during tree planting activity, students seem not to take the task seriously. It seems that students plant trees only for completion, she added, which should not be the case.

Despite of the effort to save the lost forest, there is still incidence of illegal logging. Recently, the DENR-CENRO confiscated 70 pieces of squared timber about 2000 board feet at Brgy. Anitay Paete Laguna. Forrester Recillo said that the safety of DENR staff is also a concern. To ensure the safety of DENR staff, Forester Recillo said that they ask assistance from the army.

Other people say that NGP is ambitious, Forester Recillo said, but with people’s cooperation the goal of the project can be accomplished.

Water lilies, bamboo sticks to clean Laguna de Bay tributaries

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Miguel Victor T. Durian

[FEATURE] Water hyancinth and bamboo sticks — put them together and you have an aquatic macrophyte biosorption system.

By the community for the community: the system being attended to by Dr. Zafaralla (Photo by Dr. Macrina T. Zafaralla)

The simple, cost-effective water filtration system for lakes and rivers was developed by University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) professor Dr. Macrina T. Zafaralla of the Institute of Biological Sciences.

Dr. Zafaralla is an environmental biologist. Her concept for the water filtration system came from her 2010 study involving the use of water hyacinths, more commonly referred to as water lilies, to absorb pollutants from bodies of water. The Molawin Creek at the UPLB campus was the site for her study.

Naturally filtered water passes through water hyacinths and bamboo structure (Photo by Dr. Macrina T. Zafaralla)

Molawin Creek, sometimes referred to as the Molawin River, is the small stream originating from Mt. Makiling and flowing through the University of the Philippines Los Baños campus. It is the creek that flows under the Palma Bridge, flowing further down the Bocobo Bridge by the Seniors’ Social Garden, under which one biosorption system is installed.

Molawin Creek played a role in the establishment of the then UP College of Agriculture back in 1908, because the area proved to be a good source of water for drinking, bathing, constructing, among others. Most importantly, it sustained the rich flora and fauna that inhabited the area, which was necessary for UPCA’s biological laboratories.

Soon, UPCA expanded its perimeters, allowing for the construction of infrastructure through the Rockefeller-Ford Foundation, giving way to a 5-Year Development Program (5YDP). The infrastructure development and the construction of a sewage treatment facility soon collapsed and has not been repaired since.

The untreated sewage waste of UPLB campus, including the wastes from dormitories, housing units, and laboratories are expelled directly into the creek, through the conveyor behind the Physical Plant and Maintenance Services Office (PPMSO). The endpoint of Molawin Creek is Laguna de Bay.

The Aquatic Macrophyte Biosorption System (AMBS) is basically a water filtration system made of bamboo sticks and water hyacinths or water lilies (Eichhornia crassipes). Acting as a barrier, the bamboo sticks are made into a structure similar to an organized beaver dam interlinked by chicken wire and supported by heavy rocks at the front. The water hyacinths are placed like a mat behind the bamboo sticks so that they will not float away. The system is placed perpendicular to the running water, so that the water that will pass through it will be filtered by the roots of the water hyacinths, which absorb solids and filter heavy metals, particularly lead, which causes nervous system decline.

Her main concern on lead contamination is that people living in slum areas catch fish that are contaminated with lead.

It was also a surprising observation that after the system was put up, hundreds of fingerlings begun to proliferate out in the cleansed area of the creek—life science in action. It was “fish galore,” as Dr. Zafaralla had put it. The fingerlings were Tilapia and Biya.

Because of its design, it is suitable for installation in narrow bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, and creeks.

Because of the efficiency of the technology, Dr. Zafaralla was recognized with the NAST Hugh Greenwood Environmental Science award in 2010, plus substantial prize money, which she will be investing on this project.

The BioPark and The Community

Because constructing and maintaining the biosorption system does not really need diverse technical knowledge and is cheaper, compared to other state-of-the-art water filtration systems, Dr. Zafaralla hoped that communities will be involved in this project; hence, her idea of the “BioPark” was conceptualized.

Dr. Zafaralla explained that the BioPark is not run by the government but by the community. This is basically like a give-and-take relationship. The community manages the system; the system gives the community clean water and fish to eat.

On August 2010, the Molawin Creek was declared a BioPark, and was henceforth called the Molawin BioPark, as declared by UPLB Chancellor Luis Rey I. Velasco and Vice Chancellor Virginia R. Cardenas.

For now, the sole purpose of converting the Molawin Creek into a BioPark on campus is to protect it by law from being downgraded yet again. Fishing and other recreational activities are also allowed at Molawin as long as visitors will keep the area clean.

Presently, there are six organizations that have joined hands with the UPLB Occupational Health and Safety Standards Committee to help in the stewardship of Molawin creek. Los Baños Mayor Anthony Genuino has also expressed his support for the project.

The installation of the biosorption system garnered positive remarks from the residents of Sitio Riverside, a community of informal settlers, in which one biosoprtion system was also installed.

“Doon ho kami naglalaba at naghuhugas ng pinggan kahit madumi,” said Aling Mika, a resident at Sitio Riverside, who added that she was grateful that the biosoprtion system was put up.

Manong Erik, also a resident of Sitio Riverside, said, “Dati noong hindi pa inilagay yung [biosorption system], napaka-itim ng tubig at wala kaming mahuling isda dito.” Manong Erik also said that he was able to participate in the construction of the biosoprtion system when it was first put up in 2010.

Other residents also claimed that during heavy rains, the system gets washed away. Dr. Zafaralla pointed out that this is one of the reasons why the system should be community-based, so that it would be constantly monitored by the community it serves.

Meanwhile, biosoprtion systems were also installed at one creek at Sta. Rosa, Laguna and another at Tanay, Rizal on June 10, 2011.

Dr. Zafaralla is hoping to put up biosorption systems in the 24 micro-watersheds in Laguna, which she will be carrying out with the help of the River Councils (RC) of Laguna. The idea is to remediate the dirty water from the 24 micro-watersheds before they reach Laguna de Bay.

Bay BHW conducts TB awareness seminars in San Agustin households

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by Andrea Katrina M. Marchadesch

Barangay San Agustin in Bay, Laguna conducted a Tuberculosis (TB) Awareness Seminar earlier this month, as part of the Department of Health (DOH) TB Awareness month.

The program is part the TB Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) adopted from the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the WHO website, the DOTS is the recommended treatment for TB because it is efficient and cost-effective.   It includes the diagnosis of TB through sputum-smear microscopy, anti-TB treatment under direct and supportive observation, supplying of anti-TB drugs and thorough monitoring of the results of the patient’s treatment. The patient is able to avail these through the financial assistance of the government.

DOH held a seminar for the Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) of Bay in December 2011, which aimed to help them educate their communities about Tuberculosis. Anamarie Bacsafra, a BHW, personally conducts house-to-house visits in the barangay.  Bacsafara is the only BHW assigned to Brgy. San Agustin to facilitate the seminars, since their barangay has a very small population. Bacsafra said that this program has been in implementation for a long time but a lot BHWs have forgotten teaching their communities about TB. This was one of the reasons why DOH held the seminar in December.

BHW Anamarie Bacsafra  giving a seminar in one of the households in Brgy. San Agustin

According to Bacsafra, several people are still unaware or have the wrong impression about TB.  People know that TB is a lung disease and that anyone get TB. They also believe that TB can spread by sharing eating utensils with someone who has TB or even sexual contact with someone who has TB, which are misconceptions. TB is airborne, which means that it can be spread through the air such as by sneezing or coughing.

Even though most people know that anyone can be a victim of TB, some still think that only thin people are the ones prone to the disease.  Another misconception about TB is that it is hereditary. If the parent had TB, then the child is bound to have TB as well. This is also not true.  People also think that TB is caused by stress, tiredness or by not drying off sweat on a person’s back after a physical activity.

These misconceptions about this disease cause shame to those who have TB. They deny that they have the disease and fail to get the treatment and medication that they need, which is unfortunate because TB is curable, says Bacsafra.  That is why the main purpose of this awareness seminar is to inform the households about TB, how to know when someone has TB, what causes TB, what common misconceptions people have about TB, how TB spreads, and how to treat TB.

Hon. Manolito Mendres, the barangay chairman of San Agustin supports this program fully and is actually pleased by Bacsafra’s efforts.  He wants this seminar to help the barangay be more aware of TB because it is important.  He hopes this program will continue to grow beyond the door-to-door seminars.

People who get treatment for TB, however, sometimes doubt the medication given to them by the BHWs or by the health center because of the side effects that they experience.  Side effects that people usually experience when taking the medication are fatigue, hyperventilation, red urine, etc.  But according to Bacsafra, all the side effects that they experience are temporary and only happen because the person’s body is getting used to the medication.

It is the community’s responsibility to spread the correct information about TB to its members so that if one gets TB, it can easily be treated.  It is also the responsibility of the community to not judge, but rather help the person with this disease because it is common and again, it is treatable.

Individuals can be volunteer “treatment partners” to, for example, their family member who has TB.  They have the responsibility to monitor the medication of the patient until the treatment ends.  They also have to report to the health center if the patient experiences side effects and to help the patients with the monthly check-ups.

One of the participants of this door-to-door seminar is Luisito  Paran, a local councilor, said that people can learn from this because even he learned that the using the eating utensils of a person with TB will automatically gives you TB. He added other people who have TB shouldn’t disgust us. Distancing ourselves from them isn’t necessary; instead, we should approach and help them get better.  People with TB are ashamed and deny they have TB because we are disgusted and because we do the best we can for them not to transmit their disease to us, like with separating their food from ours.

Even though TB isn’t a big issue in the barangay, Paran thinks that most people don’t have enough information about TB, so this seminar is really needed.  When asked about this seminar’s impact to the community’s awarteness about the disease, he said, “makakatulong ‘to lalo na sa aming barangay, kung mapupuntahan ‘nya ang bawat bahay at ipaliwanag, kasi ang tao nga kapag hindi mo maipaliwanag ng maayos, malaking bagay ang maitutulong ‘nun.”

Bacsafra said that every month, their target “participants” are 23 people. So every month, until the whole community is covered, the seminar will go on.  She adds that once people are aware of TB, “makakatulong na ang bawat isa sa pag sugpo ng sakit na TB.”  This is a big issue in any community she says, because some people have the wrong ideas about TB and are afraid of it. But, people need to remember that it is preventable and treatable.

She stresses that people don’t have to be ashamed of having TB since it’s a common disease.  She hopes that these seminars that she gives will help her community become more aware about TB because it’s about time since a lot of people don’t get the treatment that they need.  If anyone needs treatment for TB in San Agustin, Bacsafra recommends them to approach her or the Barangay Health Office for consultation of DOTS.

People should learn three simple things about Tuberculosis.  One, is that TB is contagious. Two, is that TB can be treated. And lastly, three, is that you shouldn’t be ashamed of it.