At the same time, our health promotion teams toured the community to encourage people to undergo chest X-ray screening. Our medical team also followed up with patients to ensure they adhered to their treatment regimen, thereby breaking the chains of transmission. Early diagnosis and treatment are some of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of TB.
We conducted home visits immediately after a positive diagnosis to screen households' close contacts, administering TB skin tests and offering TB preventive treatment, especially to children. Infants and young children are particularly prone to severe and fatal forms of the disease, and in Tondo, their vulnerability is exacerbated by nutrition deficiencies. However, diagnosing TB in children is more complex than in adults as it is difficult for them to produce the sputum needed for laboratory analysis. Protecting children through preventive measures and timely treatment of adults is a key priority for our teams.
