‘Tsupers’ certified as anti-TB trainers

MANILA, Philippines - In the final move towards sustainability, the multi-awarded Caltex tuberculosis (TB) awareness campaign “Labanan ang TB para Tsuper Healthy” turned over the wheel to public transport drivers to continue to spread the word and not the disease.

At least 32 public transport workers from various jeepney drivers’ associations in Manila trained and passed the certification of the Manila City health office to become expert advocates of early consultation, treatment and the proper way of dispelling the myths about TB. The Manila driver-trainers joined the pioneer batch of 56 from Quezon City who completed the training early this year.

A study from the University of the Philippines reveals that public transport workers are one of the most at risk groups from TB, a leading cause of illness and death among Filipinos.

The driver-trainers, who are also officers of their transport groups, committed to ensure any colleague found TB-positive will take their medication daily. This effort aims to reduce the number of attrition cases which lead to the more complicated drug-resistant TB.

The Caltex TB awareness campaign is a joint partnership of Chevron Philippines Inc., marketer of the Caltex brand of fuels and lubricants, the City Health Offices of Manila, Makati and Quezon City, as well as transport groups such as the Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines, Alliance of Transport Operators and Drivers Association of the Philippines and Metro Bus Operators Association.

The driver-trainers are expected to hold training in transport terminals, help distribute information and promote the Caltex TB helpline 381-1010 for more information about the campaign.