THE Davao City Health Office (CHO), in partnership with the World Health Organization Philippines (WHO) and Department of Health Region XI (DOH), conducted an Active Case Finding (ACF) activity in Talandang, Tugbok District on October 8, 2026, where Indigenous Peoples received free tuberculosis (TB) screening, bringing essential health services closer to their homes.
Dr. Ma. Vilma Gonzaga, Assistant City Health Officer for Operations, told the City Information Office (CIO), that conducting the annual ACF activities strengthens their campaign to make early TB detection tests a comfortable choice for Dabawenyos.
She also clarified that the activity does not necessarily indicate an alarming rise in TB cases among IP communities but forms part of the city’s efforts to achieve a TB-free community through early detection and treatment.
“Ang Davao City nagapa higayon halos kada bulan og active case finding. Kini siya muadto gyud ang atoang mga x-ray van, mga X-ray machine padulong sa mga sulok-sulok sa Davao City. Para ang mga tao dili na muadto sa downtown, dili na muadto sa syudad para mag pa x-ray. Kung dili, kami na mismo ang muadto sa mga barangay para dili na sila mamasahe (Davao City conducts an active case finding almost every month. This means our X-ray vans and X-ray machines really go to far-flung communities in the city. So that, people don’t have to go downtown, doesn’t need to go to the city to get an X-ray. Instead, we will be the ones going to their barangays so that they will no longer have to pay for the fare),” she said.
Olivia Lawe-Davies, Deputy WHO Representative to the Philippines, also emphasized the importance of avoiding tobacco, cigarettes and vapes to maintain lung health and reduce the risk of other tobacco-related illnesses.
“Staying healthy means that it is really important to not use tobacco, not smoke cigarettes and not use vapes. That is really an important way to keep our lungs healthy as well. So that, we can breathe easy and not get more vulnerable to tuberculosis. But, also not encourage various cancers that we know that are associated with tobacco use and the use of other nicotine containing products,” she added.
The health drive also provided free chest X-rays and sputum test, maternal and child health services as well as blood sugar test.
Julleth Buan Rillo, one of the Bagobo Klata elders, welcomed the initiative, saying it encouraged community-led information dissemination efforts to help residents better understand tuberculosis and the importance of early screening.
“Dako kaayo ni og tabang para maagpan nato ang katung mga tao nga naa nay mga simtomas. In fact, kami niapil mi sauna, sa TB gihapun to. Unya sukad ato mao nato ang time nga nag information dissemination mi (This is a huge help so we can immediately treat people who are already showing symptoms. In fact, we participated in a similar TB drive before, and since then, we are doing information dissemination in our community),” she said.
Dabawenyos may avail themselves of free TB screening, consultation and treatment services at all district health centers. CIO