Iloilo City Government’s locally-led tuberculosis (TB) program is getting a boost through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
“The project aims to decrease, if not eliminate, TB. They will be giving us a commitment grant to hire people and for their training, to procure supplies, and to ensure that our TB case-finding is enhanced,” Dr. Annabelle Tang, City Health Officer, said.
Under the Tuberculosis Implementation Framework Agreement (TIFA), the Iloilo City Government will be receiving a commitment grant, which will be given in tranches of US$250,000 annually for five years.
The City Council, during its 39th Regular Session on Wednesday morning, passed a resolution authorizing City Mayor Jerry P. Trenas to enter and sign the said agreement on behalf of the city government.
“They (USAID) have seen that we are capable and have been doing well in terms of TB case-finding. Iloilo City has been consistently a top-performing local government for TB programs. Our success of treatment rate is always at 90% or more,” Tang said.
She added that part of the commitment grant will be used to procure a portable X-ray machine and an X-ray voucher to be distributed to symptomatic TB patients and suspected TB cases.
TIFA works to develop and negotiate TB commitment grants (TCGs), contracts, or other awards that provide capacity-strengthening opportunities to manage response, thereby accelerating progress toward TB elimination. (Pearl Socias/Iloilo City PIO)
