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  • About #TBFREEPH

    Raise awareness about TB and engage all its potential stakeholders

Overview

The Department of Health (DOH) has declared TB a priority, with its hope to make the Philippines TB-free by 2035. Their strategy toward a #TBFREEPH revolves around varying global views, encouraging unity among all potential allies to protect and enable Filipinos to care for themselves, their schools, communities, and workplaces.

This diversity of ideas is the main pathway to implementing the government mandate Kalusugan Pangkalahatan (KP). The big tent communication approach they are implementing makes the information gathering process inclusive and relevant for everyone involved.

  • Vision

    The strategy is aligned with the PhilSTEP’s vision of a TB-free Philippines. Through a collaborative, cohesive and comprehensive communication approach, the strategy envisions heightened attention to TB, promotes people-centered care, and reduces stigma.

  • Mission

    To elevate discourse about TB and get many more stakeholders to talk about TB.

KonsulTAYO

#TBFreePH is under the KonsulTAYO campaign of the Department of Health, a campaign that aims to encourage Filipinos to get the care they need to avoid negative health outcomes in the future.

With its objective to provide every Filipino the necessary primary care anytime and anywhere, KonsulTAYO aims to ensure that every Filipino citizen knows who to call in times they need medical advice and treatment.

Under the KonsulTayo campaign are four major public health concerns – non-communicable diseases, dengue, tuberculosis, and HIV-AIDS – promoted through various demand generation strategies. With a call to action Kumonsulta sa inyong Primary Care Providers sa mga usaping pangkalusugan, its key messages revolve around primary prevention, secondary prevention, and patient navigation.

Surrounding around the three pillars of the campaign of giving free, patient-centered, and accessible care, Filipinos with chronic health conditions will now have a chance to actively seek out counseling and treatment from primary care providers.

Methodology

The DOH National TB Control Program (NTP) and Health Promotion and Communication Service (HPCS) worked with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), World Health Organization (WHO) and various other development partners in designing this strategy through a series of consultation workshops and meetings.

Participatory consultations

On December 5-7, 2018, DOH held a consultative workshop to review TB communication work in the Philippines. The workshop resulted in an advocacy track, aiming to encourage project implementers to accelerate local TB programming with the call, “Join the Race to End TB.” On November 8, 2019, DOH carried out an alignment workshop to agree with partners a national communication strategy. A major output was the umbrella call to “Make TB a Priority.” On November 8, 2019, DOH carried out another workshop to align partners with the national communication strategy, its major output, the call to “Make TB a Priority.” On November 22, 2019, DOH presented its key findings based on significant studies on TB in the Philippines.. On November 27-29, 2019, DOH conducted a review of the Philippine Strategic TB Elimination Plan (PhilSTEP), outlining priorities for social and behavior change (SBC) initiatives.

Guiding principles

The development of the National TB Health Promotion and Communication Strategy relied on several principles. Among these are:

  • Linked with the priorities of the revised PhilSTEP 2020-2023, especially focusing more on communicating about Latent TB Infection (LTBI), TB in children, and TB-HIV collaboration.
  • Anchored on the continuum of TB care, identifying ideal behaviors of intended participants from the phases of screening, detection, treatment and prevention.
  • With umbrella communication branding, stressing the national call to make TB a priority.
  • Images and illustrations are to reflect the ideal quality of life, highlighting strength of character in the face of TB.
    Innovative Digital Technologies
    Explores the use of digital communication tools to increase social media engagement about TB.
  • The strategy explores the use of digital communication tools to increase social media engagement about TB.
  • Recognizes the need for a multi-stakeholder approach, inviting even the non-health sectors to be part of the program. The role of civil society organizations (CSOs), the private sector, and patient support groups is essential to create a stronger voice against TB, also incorporating an approach that is both gender neutral and gender specific
  • Communication interventions will be multi-level, highlighting interface with influencers, allies and individuals at home and in communities

 

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