A consortium led by Chemonics International Inc. manages the Philippine TIPS project. Chemonics is a global consulting firm promoting economic growth and higher living standards in developing countries. Consortium members are CAMRIS, Philippine Coalition Against Tuberculosis, New Jersey Medical School National TB Center,and Philippine Business for Social Progress.

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Philippine TIPS follows a multi-pronged approach to engaging the private sector in TB control. The approach includes support to TB policy reform and TB care financing; operations research; TB services expansion in the private sector through grants and technical assistance to health facilities (clinics,hospitals,HMOs,workplaces); training of physicians and those in allied health professions;certification; communications; and,support to informed decision-making.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Philippine TIPS has formed partnerships with 20 Public-Private Mix DOTS (PPMD) clinics in 17 urban sites around the country. These clinics serve a total catchment population estimated at over 3 million people. Partner clinics benefit from both technical and financial assistance, the latter in the form of a fixed grant. The assistance is designed to strengthen DOTS service capabilities and help put in place systems that will make these units sustainable.

Philippine TIPS monitors these units closely so that their clinical and management practices follow standards set by the government's National TB Program and adhere to international best practices.

From July 2004 to January 2005, the PPMD partner clinics saw a total of 2,349 people who suspected that they might have TB symptoms. The clinics diagnosed about a fourth or 605 of these patients as having active pulmonary TB and enrolled them into their DOTS programs. Significantly, 3 out of every 4 of these enrolled patients were smearpositive – meaning patients with the more infectious kind of TB. Philippine TIPS estimates that its partner clinics have added about 8% to the total TB Case Detection Rate of the government in the areas where they operate.

The range of Philippine TIPS partners goes beyond private clinics and also includes pharmacies, business companies,civic organizations like the Rotary, medical schools, news media institutions, non-government organizations, and government agencies.

• Philippine TIPS has partnered with the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges to develop a TB-DOTS curriculum and has helped to enhance the teaching of TB-DOTS in 10 of the country's leading medical colleges through a Master TB Educator Award program.
• Philippine TIPS works with a network of about 170 private drugstores in 7 key cities, including drugstores belonging to 4 national drugstore chains. The pharmacies provide information about TB-DOTS and on where TB symptomatics can go for proper medical diagnosis and treatment.
• With Philippine Business for Social Progress, Philippine TIPS carries out prototype DOTS programs that target both formal and informal workforces.
• Philippine TIPS is the only donor-funded project that participated in crafting a landmark regulation by the Department of Labor and Employment, which requires all private companies to have an anti-TB program fortheir workers.
• Technical assistance from Philippine TIPS has led to a refinement of DOTS certification standards. This was done in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Philippine Coalition Against Tuberculosis. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) requires DOTS clinics to meet these standards before they can qualify for reimbursement under PHIC's TB Benefits Package.
• Participation in public events and proactive communication activities keep TB and DOTS visible in the news media, both domestic and international.
• Project lessons and experiences have been disseminated through participation in major international health gatherings, such as annual conferences of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, and of the American Public Health Association.