With foreign aid freeze, PH TB program needs more local help
The Philippines continues to be one of the top five countries that contribute over half of the world’s tuberculosis (TB) cases. The 2024 Global Tuberculosis Report released by the World Health Organization in October revealed that an estimated 37,000 Filipinos with TB died in 2023, making it one of the leading causes of death in the country.
Since 2010, the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), through its Advancing Client-Centered Care and Expanding Sustainable Services for TB (ACCESS TB) project, has been addressing critical gaps in TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. This multi-year initiative was made possible through a strong partnership with the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.
From October 2023 to September 2024, ACCESS TB project successfully identified 532,969 individuals with all forms of TB and provided treatment to 442,813 patients, including those from vulnerable populations and persons deprived of liberty.
However, a new challenge has emerged with the recent freeze on foreign aid from the United States government. On public health alone, P9.77 billion worth of US Agency for International Development programs are reportedly affected and could jeopardize efforts to curb TB in the country, as well as vital interventions on HIV/AIDS, maternal and reproductive health, and capacity-building for universal health care.
The issue of program sustainability arises as organizations shift from relying on international grants to domestic funding. “Sole reliance on external aid is not a sustainable model,” said Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, who reaffirmed the government’s commitment to prioritize the national health budget at the meeting of the Philippine Country Coordinating Mechanism for the Global Fund.
The pause on foreign aid calls for innovative public-private sector partnerships that can withstand the evolving and less certain funding landscape to ensure a sustainable future for essential health programs.
An example is ACCESS TB project’s 15 years of success in uniting stakeholders toward strategic approaches in public health. For instance, 33 percent of the notified TB cases in all forms were reported by private and nongovernment partners in 2021 to 2023. This collaboration, combined with strong government support, has allowed the project to reach more underserved and remote areas, intensify efforts to deliver preventive treatments, provide comprehensive TB services, and integrate digital tools to enhance patient tracking and improve treatment adherence.
PBSP, as the largest business-led NGO in the country, draws on its strength in promoting corporate citizenship within the private sector through its Collective Impact strategy. With fewer resources, every Filipino and every organization is vital to the cause of a healthier, TB-free Philippines.
Visit PBSP ACCESS TB’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ACCESSTBProject).
