The Government of Japan is extending a ¥370 million (approximately P137 million) grant to strengthen the Philippines’ tuberculosis (TB) response, particularly in remote and underserved areas.

In a news release on Thursday, the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines said Japanese Ambassador Kazuya Endo and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Geneva Office Director Andrew Kirkwood signed a deal for “The Project for Enhancing Tuberculosis Screening in Remote Areas” in the Philippines.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Department of Health Secretary (DOH) Teodoro Herbosa at The Westin Manila in Mandaluyong City.

The initiative will provide 20 ultraportable X-ray units equipped with computer-aided diagnosis technology developed by Fujifilm. These will be deployed to provincial health offices serving geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, improving early detection and timely treatment of TB.

The World Health Organization classifies the Philippines as a high-burden country for tuberculosis, with an estimated 739,000 Filipinos developing the disease in 2023.

Endo emphasized Japan’s longstanding commitment to the Philippines’ TB control efforts, noting over 30 years of cooperation in public health.

The project will be implemented by the Stop TB Partnership, a global initiative hosted by UNOPS, in close coordination with the DOH.

PNA PHOTO