CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The provincial government through the Provincial Health Office (PHO) conducted tuberculosis (TB) screening inside the Pampanga Provincial Jail (PPJ) recently.
According to Nickson Manlutac, TB coordinator of PHO, 1,384 inmates and personnel from the facility underwent chest x-ray and sputum test.
Results show that 123 of these are positive with tb bacteria.
Manlutac said, some of the inmates are currently undergoing treatment. Others would either be enrolled in the treatment or observed by the doctors for other symptoms.
Edwin Jardanica, Deputy for Administration of PPj, said they will designate an isolation area for the inmates to prevent the spread of the bacteria.
Records from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Health Service Unit shows that tb is the second cause of death in the jail.
The provincial government aims to determine the prevalence of tb and provide treatment inside the facility.
The activity is part of the celebration of Lung Month and Tuberculosis Awareness Month last August.
BY LIEZEL CAYANAN
