Dr. Thelma E. Tupasi recognized at The Union 7^th Asia Pacific Regional Conference 2019

 The recent 7^th Asia Pacific Regional Conference of The Union held last April 23 to 26, 2019 awarded Dr. Thelma Tupasi as one of the recipients of the Leadership SIKAT Awards. The awardees were honored as individuals who have contributed immensely to strengthen the goal towards TB control. They inspired communities, educators and researchers to be creative and innovative in spreading knowledge about treatment and prevention of TB.

 Dr. Tupasi was regarded for her success in leading the 1997 and 2009 National TB Prevalence Surveys that steered the Department of Health to initiate public-private collaboration in TB care; for her vision towards universal access to health with bold efforts to address the problem of multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB with establishment of the world’s first DOTS-Plus private project scaled up to programmatic management of drug-resistant TB (PMDT); and for her dynamic international leadership as Chair of the Stop TB Working Group for DR-TB.

 Together with Dr. Tupasi the other Leadership SIKAT awards recipients were Dr. Fe Del Mundo for her contribution in developing guidelines in TB management in children & Dr. Jaime Y. Lagahid for his sustained advocacy in engaging the public and private sector, bridging the gaps critical in the effort to eliminate TB.

 Other SIKAT awardees were Dr. Mita Pardo de Tavera for community service, Dr. Fermin M. Manalo and Dr. Renato B. Dantes for research.

 SIKAT Award means Strength, Inspiration, Knowledge and Action for TB.  The Union APRC 2019 was held the Philippine International Convention Center Manila.

 The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) is an influential network of members, including over 850 staff based in 10 offices, and 25,000 rural health care providers, 15,000 community volunteers and thousands of partner organizations worldwide. 

 The Tropical Disease Foundation, Inc. (TDF) is a private, non-stock, non-profit organization founded in 1984 that seeks to control and prevent the spread of infectious diseases with public significance through research, training and the provision of timely and relevant service.