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World TB Day: USAID promotes use of portable chest X-ray machine

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Joyce Balancio, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A portable X-ray machine unveiled during the kick-off activities of " World="" TB="" Day="" at="" the="" Sta="" Quiteria="" Elementary="" School="" in="" Caloocan="" on="" March="" Joyce="" ABS-CBN="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/03/14/20230314-xray.jpg"/><figcaption>A portable X-ray machine unveiled during the kick-off activities of &quot;World TB Day 2023&quot; at the Sta Quiteria Elementary School in Caloocan on March 14, 2023. <em>Joyce Balancio, ABS-CBN News.</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) TB Platforms is promoting in the Philippines the use of a more advanced, portable X-ray technology, which can detect tuberculosis, pneumonia, and other chest ailments within 5 minutes.</p><p>TB platforms is a project funded and managed by USAID to create awareness on tuberculosis detection, treatment and care.</p><p>In its “World TB Day 2022” kick-off activity at the Sta. Quiteria Elementary School in Caloocan City, the agency partnered with Advanced Abilities and Techedge Solutions, a private IT and tech company, to provide free X-ray services to students and teachers. </p><p>There is a serious need to promote awareness against tuberculosis since it is among the top chest ailments in the Philippines and ranked third among the most infectious diseases in the Asia-Pacific Region, according to USAID’s TB platforms field operations manager for NCR, Dr. Hansel John Ybañez. </p><p>“Noong dumating ang COVID-19, medyo nakaligtaan ang pagkalap ng TB (tuberculosis) sa bata. Although ang coverage po natin ay adults, dapat hindi po natin kaligtaan ang mga kabataan. Marami pa rin pong kabataan ang hindi nahahanap na posibleng mayroong tuberculosis,” Ybañez said.</p><p>Sta. Quiteria Elementary School has enlisted for free screening at least 36 of their students, who were suspected to have tuberculosis and other respiratory ailments.</p><p>“Mahal din kasi iyong expenses na mai-incur ng parents kasi una palang magpapa-X-ray palang kaya very lucky kami kasi it is being given in your doorstep. It is there, and very easy ang access,” said school principal Dinna Pozas.</p><p>“Kapag nakita sa X-ray na presumptive siya talaga ay mayroong signs, i-sputum test... Kapag nangyari na positive pa rin, ie-enroll na po siya sa DOH, sa program nila sa TB,” she added. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A child undergoes an X-ray during the kick-off activities of " World="" TB="" Day="" at="" the="" Sta="" Quiteria="" Elementary="" School="" in="" Caloocan="" on="" March="" Joyce="" ABS-CBN="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/03/14/portable-xray-2-(1).jpg"/><figcaption>A child undergoes an X-ray during the kick-off activities of &quot;World TB Day 2023&quot; at the Sta Quiteria Elementary School in Caloocan on March 14, 2023. <em>Joyce Balancio, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>The machine can also easily detect up to 25 chest ailments, including COVID-19 and emphysema in a matter of minutes, and can scan up to 600 patients per day, the company that developed the technology said. </p><p>“It will help us in mass and rapid screening for schools and LGUs,” Techedge Solutions’s senior solutions consultant Raymond Malapitan told ABS-CBN News. </p><p>“We can partner with them naman, we can have an agreement with the LGUs so we can provide better support to have this X-ray. We can schedule with them and scan their constituents,” he added. </p><p>The local government units of Bulacan and Baguio are now using the technology, Malapitan said. </p><p>The chairman of Barangay 163 in Caloocan City also said they were eyeing to use the advanced X-ray machine in their health facilities.</p><p>&quot;Actually, mas maganda po talaga ano, kung sa aming barangay, pakikiiusapan po namin kung kakayanin po ng fund ng barangay, kukunin po namin ito dahil makakatulong po ito lalo na sa mga kapos palad po na mga pamilya,” said Barangay Chairman Ulysses Barnachea. </p><p>USAID’s TB Platforms said they would also promote the use of the machine to the local government units of Quezon City, Pasig and Taguig in the coming days.</p><div><strong>FROM THE ARCHIVES</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/keRxFB2lG_o?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

USAID is promoting the use of a portable X-ray machine, which can detect tuberculosis, pneumonia, and other chest ailments within 5 minutes.

World TB Day: USAID promotes use of portable chest X-ray machine

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World TB Day: USAID promotes use of portable chest X-ray machine

Joyce Balancio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 14, 2023 03:20 PM PHT

|

Updated Mar 15, 2023 02:40 PM PHT

Read More:

health

United States Agency for International Development

USAID

X-ray machine

portable X-ray machine

tuberculosis

TB

pneumonia

chest ailments

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