Bilibid just has ‘usual’ number of TB cases —BuCor spokesperson

The reported 200 pulmonary tuberculosis cases inside the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City is the "usual" number of TB cases in the facility, Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) spokesperson Gabriel Chaclag said Wednesday.

Chaclag clarified that there is no outbreak in the national penitentiary and said they have been managing the condition of all TB patients even amid the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Linawin ko lang, 'yan pong number na 'yan ever since even pre-pandemic, usually ganyan na po ang TB patients natin,” Chaclag said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

(Let me clarify, these numbers were reported even before the pandemic. We usually have the same number of TB patients.)

“Mataas naman ang cure rate natin...ibig sabihin, kung may nagpo-positive, marami ring gumagaling. In fact, we were reaching 90 to 98 percent. Tapos itong pandemic, dahil sa limited space at COVID cases bumaba ang cure rate natin. Medyo matagal bago sila magamot. Umabot ng 60 percent pero di bumababa sa 50 percent ang ating cure rate,” he added.

(But our cure rate is high. It means that although there are individuals who tested positive, there are also inmates who healed from it. In fact, we’re reaching 90 to 98 percent. But due to the pandemic and limited space, our cure rate went down. Patients took longer to be treated but it did not go down below 50 percent.)

According to a report by dzBB’s Jhomer Apresto, some 200 out of 208,000 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) inside the prison have been diagnosed with TB.

This was confirmed by Dr. Henry Fabro of BuCor Health Services, who also said the inmates are now in isolation and receiving medical treatment.

The BuCor will also conduct a mass screening of inmates to prevent the virus from further spreading, he added.

Chaclag echoed Fabro’s remarks and said the PDLs are currently quarantined in the establishments previously used by COVID-19 patients.

He also said patients are being treated in temporary wards set up around NBP as their general hospital undergoes renovation.

“Yung old hospital kasi pre-war pa yata yun. Ngayon, modern na ito. Concrete na ito at kasama na rin yung equipment doon. In fact, outside sa hospital na ginagawa meron ding ginagawa na dialysis center at hopefully yung mga PDL na malimit na dinadala natin sa labas for dialysis ay dito na rin po sa loob gagawin,” he said.

(Our old hospital was built, I think, pre-war. Now it has been modernized. It was made using concrete and even the equipment was replenished. In fact, outside the hospital a dialysis center is being constructed. Hopefully, the PDLs we bring outside can soon receive their treatments there.)

As for their COVID-19 situation, the official said no infections have been reported inside NBP since January 31, 2022. More than 90 percent of inmates have also completed the full dosage of their coronavirus vaccines. — Sundy Locus/BM, GMA News