TDF Lift-TB Holds a Scientific Forum Focusing on
The Latest Who Guidelines on DR-TB Treatment and
Prevention in Commemoration of World TB Day

The Tropical Disease Foundation (TDF) LIFT-TB Philippines joined the world in celebrating World TB Day with the them: Yes, we can end TB. Commit. Invest. Deliver. A scientific forum was conducted entitled, “Keeping Abreast with the Latest Developments in TB featuring the new WHO Guidelines on DR-TB Treatment and Prevention” at the City Garden Hotel, Makati City on March 24, 2025.  The symposium aimed to disseminate the updates on the latest WHO guidelines for drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) to stakeholders and partners in the NTP network.

Moderated by Dr Mamel Quelapio, TB Alliance, and Dr Irene Flores of TDF, the program was formally opened  by Dr Julius Lecciones, TDF Executive Director. Mr Tom Hiatt, Technical Officer of WHO-Philippines, and Dr Rosalind Vianzon, Division Chief for TB and HIV of DOH-Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DCPB) gave a global and national perspective on the DR-TB situation, respectively. Dr Mary Rose Taguinod-Santiago, Consultant of the Philippine TB Society, Inc. shared lessons learned from TB preventive therapy (TPT) implementation in the country. The 6 month regimen, BPaL (bedauiline, pretomanid and linezolid) remains to be the regimen of choice for rifampicin-resistant TB/multidrug-resistant TB (RR/MDR-TB). The symposium featured the add-on regimens that may be considered for children, pregnant and lactating women, and were discussed by experts from WHO Headquarters on virtual platform. Dr Medea Gegia presented the new DR-TB treatment guidelines and Dr Avinash Kanchar on preventive treatment therapy for RR/MDR-TB. Representatives from their respective sectors, Dr Anna Lisa Ong-Lim, PhilCAT and Philippine Pediatric Board Member was the Reactor to the latest guidelines focusing on MDR-TB while Dr Camilo Roa, PhilCAT Founding Chair was the Reactor to the prevention topic. Recognizing that all these efforts are geared towards uplifting the lives of TB patients, Ms Sheila delos Reyes, a DR-TB survivor who completed the BPaL treatment, shared a testimonial on how a shorter regimen benefitted her, underscoring the significance of these new developments and their potential impact in the lives of TB patients.  Speaking on behalf of DOH, Dr Vianzon expressed her gratitude for the new knowledge and insights from these latest progress in the fight against TB. She also highlighted DOH’s continuing commitment to support the new guidelines and promote capacity building to health workers and strengthened advocacy towards the adoption of these latest guidelines. In closing, Dr Ruben Encarnacion, TDF Chair of the Board of Trustees thanked all participants, and wished everyone a happy World TB Day keeping in mind that commitment needs to be translated to action. 

LIFT-TB is supported by TB Alliance, KOICA in cooperation with the Tropical Disease Foundation.