The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Health (DOH) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) recently launched online learning tools to help companies implement tuberculosis (TB) prevention programs in workplaces.
Representatives from DOH, DOLE, ECOP, and USAID pose at the launch of the WorkTBFree online learning modules for preventing TB in the workplace. USAID supported the development of the online platforms as part of measures to prevent TB in the country. (©USAID/2022/Edward Paraiso)
At a forum dubbed as Engaging Healthy Workplaces to be TB-Free: Sharing Best Practices and Introducing Developed #WorkTBFree E-Learning and Digital Tools, ECOP and USAID’s TB Innovations and Health Systems Strengthening Project unveiled online modules for human resources (HR) managers and occupational safety and health (OSH) officers. The online modules are available via ECOP’s Online Academy and the worktbfree.ph website.
“ECOP sees this new undertaking as an opportunity not just to scale up its existing programs but to also develop and strengthen the capacity of the chapter-members and the industry to deliver health-related programs including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of TB cases in the workplace as part of its services among its members,” said ECOP Governor Arturo Guerrero, adding that ECOP also plans to develop the program switch pilot enterprise to develop good business practices and TB programs in the workplace.
Aside from Guerrero, key speakers in the forum included DOLE, Bureau of Labor Relations Medical Officer Dr. Felix Labanda Jr., USAID Philippines Office of Health Director, Michelle Lang-Alli, and DOH Disease Prevention and Control Bureau Representative Dr. Winston Palasi.
#WorkTBFree with ECOP eCampus
The ECOP eCampus is a Learning Management System (LMS) platform that allows participants to learn from anywhere and at any time, entirely online or in a hybrid manner. It features a library of learning resources to supplement online and in-person events. It also has an online chat feature for individuals to talk with one another, discuss lectures, ask questions, offer corporate best practices, and seek assistance.
Participants can also use a self-paced learning system to watch recorded videos, complete self-paced surveys, rate the program, and retrieve online certificates.
Part of the ECOP eCampus platform are #WorkTBFree e-learning modules developed by USAID in collaboration with DOLE. These modules are designed to cater to different stakeholders in the workplace.
“TB can negatively impact work productivity through increased absenteeism and turnover of staff due to TB-associated morbidity and mortality. Companies with an unhealthy workforce also project a poor corporate image, so employers and their organizations play a vital role in promoting and implementing TB-control activities,” said Lang-Alli.
She continued, “USAID will continue to strengthen and integrate TB services with other health services such as COVID-19 and HIV control and prevention in the workplace. We encourage all our partners and stakeholders to join together to take stronger and coordinated action to prevent TB transmission and disease progression.”
“We reiterate our commitment in the call for more inclusive and sustainable leadership in the fight against tuberculosis and the important role that public-private partnerships have played to end TB,” said Guerrero.
According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) worldwide TB report in 2020, the Philippines has the highest TB incidence rate in Asia, with 554 cases per 100,000 Filipinos. The DOH has designated tuberculosis as a priority, with the objective of eliminating the disease in the Philippines by 2035.
For inquiries and more details about ECOP eCampus, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit worktbfree.ph
For more information about TB, visit https://tbfree.ph/. This contains an online self-assessment tool to aid in the detection and treatment of tuberculosis. It may also be used to screen for TB and find the closest medical institution.
The https://tbfree.ph/ is part of Para Healthy Lungs, KonsulTayo, a local communication campaign developed by DOH with support from USAID. It aims to raise tuberculosis as a public health priority in the country using social and conventional media methods.
