Papua New Guinea Delegates Focus on BPAL
Operational Research Experience in the Philippines
A Study Tour on drug-resistant (DR) TB program management was held on 25-29 September 2023 in Manila for 16 Papua New Guinea (PNG) TB program staff and technical officers to gain insights on DRTB implementation and management based on Philippine experience. The activity was jointly organized by the World Health Organization (country office), Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DCPB) of the DOH and the Tropical Disease Foundation (TDF) as part of the LIFT-TB initiatives.
The five-day study tour began with a presentation of the TB situation in the Philippines by Dr Raffy Deray, Medical Officer IV, DPCB. This was followed by a three-day visit to various facilities involved in PMDT implementation. Particular to Bedaquiline-Pretomanid-Linezolid Operational Research (BPaL OR), the team visited TDF and the Lung Center of the Phiippines (LCP) on the third day where they were oriented on the technical and operational aspects of BPaL OR implementation. Dr Mamel Quelapio, LIFT TB Consultant, presented how LIFT-TB Project spearheaded the operationalization of the BPaL OR and gave guidance through close coordination and technical input to local counterparts with TDF serving as the local arm for coordination on behalf of the International Tuberculosis Research Center, Korea, with technical support from KNCV, Netherlands.
Dr. Julius Lecciones, TDF CEO and President welcomed the delegates with the story on how the late Dr. Thelma Tupasi, TDF Founder, pioneered DR-TB care in the Philippines back in 1999 with the help of the Green Light Committee. Dr. Quelapio added that TDF together with the NTP led the expansion and scaleup of PMDT leading to its current nationwide implementation. Now, TDF is among the satellite treatment centers and laboratories working with the NTP in the National Capital Region. Dr. Robin Yasi, PMDT Focal Point In PNG recalls the PMDT training conducted in TDF with Dr. Tupasi and team back in 2007 and considers it a meaningful experience. A facility tour was made in the TDF DOTS Clinic by Dr. Rholine Veto, PMDT physician, and in the TB Laboratory by Laboratory Manager Anthony Geronimo.
In LCP, one of the 12 OR sites of the BPaL OR, Dr Irene Flores, Principal Investigator, shared the Research Team experience in managing the OR highlighting lessons learned, challenges and solutions. This was followed by a presentation by Dr Joan Tuy, LCP STC physician, on the operations of the DOTS Clinic for DR-TB and by Dr Marietta Solante, chairman of national TB Medical Committee (TBMAC), on the role and functions of the TBMAC as a referral unit for difficult DR-TB cases. Afterwards, the delegates were led to a facility tour within LCP. Some delegates interacted with a BPaL graduate to gain perspectives on his DR-TB journey.
The five-day study tour concluded with a Country (PNG) Planning where the Philippine focal points shared inputs on various aspects of PMDT with the PNG delegates enabling them to come up with an activity plan mainly to introduce new patient-centered regimens in PNG in the programmatic context.
LIFT-TB is supported by TB Alliance, KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, International Tuberculosis Research Center, and the Tropical Disease Foundation.
