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The Japanese government will grant around P139 million in aid for the Philippines' fight against tuberculosis and other public health concerns. 

In a statement, the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines said Ambassador Endo Kazuya signed the grant and exchanged notes with the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Geneva Office Director Andrew Kirkwood last October. 

This was supposedly for the “The Project for Enhancing Tuberculosis Screening in Remote Areas” in the country.

The Japanese embassy said aside from this, their government would provide 20 ultraportable X-ray units capable of computer-aided diagnosis (AI-CAD) technology to health offices “ serving geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.” 

“The Government of Japan is extending grant assistance amounting to three hundred and seventy million Japanese Yen (¥370,000,000) to support the country’s efforts in addressing this public health challenge,” the Japanese embassy said.

Ambassador Endo said the new grant would show that the country would not need to fight tuberculosis alone.

“As a committed neighbor and partner, Japan stands ready to lighten the burdens brought by TB. In realizing healthier outcomes in the Philippines, we hope to strengthen the health of the region we share,'' he said.

''With this state-of-the-art equipment and its portability feature, I am very hopeful to see how this project can transform the landscape of TB screening in the country,'' he added. 

The Embassy of Japan in the Philippines also noted that it was important to give more screening opportunities to people in order to combat tuberculosis.

“This contribution aims to strengthen TB screening capacity in underserved areas, facilitating early detection and timely treatment,” the embassy said.

The Department of Health (DOH) said it continues to boost its efforts to eliminate tuberculosis through the Philippine Strategic TB Elimination Plan and the Philippine Acceleration Action Plan for Tuberculosis 2023–2035.
 
It also sought to screen 12 million Filipinos nationwide by 2025, just as it proposed around P4.2 billion for the agency’s budget next year to “accelerate service delivery.”