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World Health Organization

EcoWaste Coalition discovers 11 more spray paints with lead content in violation of ban

by Contributor July 22, 2026

written by Contributor

QUEZON CITY — Despite the existing Chemical Control Order (CCO) that outlaws lead in paints, harmful lead-laced paint products continue to be imported and distributed—an ongoing trend the EcoWaste Coalition has strongly deplored.

The group criticized the brazen breach of the lead paint ban as embodied in the CCO for Lead and Lead Compounds following its discovery of 11 more spray paints with lead content above the legal limit of 90 parts per million (ppm).

Issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in 2013, the CCO established a strict 90 ppm maximum limit for lead in all paints, including spray paints. The CCO further set phase-out deadlines for lead-containing decorative and industrial paints, which ended on December 31, 2016, and December 31, 2019, respectively.

As confirmed by SGS laboratory tests commissioned by the EcoWaste Coalition, the 11 paints representing six brands contained violative levels of lead, with eight products containing more than 10,000 ppm. The group purchased the paints from online sellers for P81 to P164 each.

Based on laboratory test reports, a medium yellow Herios Spray Paint manufactured in China in February 2025 had the highest lead concentration at 95,600 ppm.

The Jialing red, fresh green, and lemon yellow Amazing High Gloss Spray Paints contained 33,400 ppm, 20,200 ppm, and 714 ppm of lead, respectively.

The green and yellow Driveone Off Ultra Bright Night Light Spray Paint tested with 73,900 ppm and 69,900 ppm of lead, while the grass green and silver red LLA Spray Paints had 33,700 ppm and 5,140 ppm.

The green and yellow Wei Yue Spray Paint contained 48,100 ppm and 670 ppm of lead, and the canary yellow Wel Tools Paint had 27,900 ppm.

In January this year, the EcoWaste Coalition also released the laboratory test results of orange, beige, and green Nasmc Spray Paints, which were analyzed to contain 30,500 ppm, 10,000 ppm, and 7,460 ppm of lead, respectively.

The 14 lead-containing products mentioned above will be added to the “Public Notice on Lead-Containing Paints,” which currently includes 228 laboratory-tested spray paints with lead content. The said notice is co-published by the EcoWaste Coalition, International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN), and the Philippine Paint and Coatings Association, Inc. (PPCAI) to alert consumers and vendors to non-compliant paints containing lead, which are mostly imported from China and Thailand.

Lead-containing paints are a major source of lead exposure among children globally. “There is no level of exposure to lead that is known to be without harmful effects,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which has included lead among the ten chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health concern.

Lead is a dangerous poison that can damage almost every part of the human body. It is especially harmful to babies and young children because their brains are still growing. When children are exposed to lead, it can cause lasting damage, including lower intelligence, trouble focusing, learning delays, and behavioral problems like aggression.

To stop leaded paints from illegally entering the Philippines, the EcoWaste Coalition is demanding tighter import restrictions. Key to this effort is adding lead chromates to the Rotterdam Convention’s list of hazardous chemicals to regulate the global trade of these toxic pigments.

July 22, 2026 0 comments

Health

DOH Davao: deworming is safe and effective

by Nova Mae Francas July 17, 2026

written by Nova Mae Francas

THE DEPARTMENT of Health (DOH) XI warned against deworming program misinformation and reiterated that the intervention remains a “safe and effective” way to protect Filipino children from intestinal worms.

The DOH, in a press release on Thursday, called on parents, guardians, schools, and communities to support the nationwide deworming activities this July.

The agency said children are especially vulnerable to soil-transmitted helminths or intestinal worms because they are more likely to come into contact with contaminated soil.

“Left untreated, these infections can lead to poor nutrition, anemia, stunted physical growth, delayed learning, and reduced resistance to other illnesses and can also affect a child’s attendance and performance in school,” it stressed.

DOH also stressed that the deworming program uses Albendazole, a deworming medicine that has been part of the country’s public health system for nearly three decades and is recommended by the World Health Organization.

The agency described the drug as “generally safe and well tolerated.”

It noted that some children may experience mild and temporary side effects after taking the medicine, including stomach pain, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, or skin rashes.

“These reactions are expected in some cases, usually occur within the first few hours, and can be managed with proper medical guidance,” it stressed.

Health workers and local government units are directed to strictly follow safety protocols during both school-based and community-based deworming activities, including the proper management of any adverse events.

The agency also appealed to the public to rely only on verified information from the DOH and to avoid sharing unverified reports or misleading claims.

It warned that such content could cause unnecessary fear and discourage participation in the public health program.

“The Department remains committed to protecting the health of Filipino children through safe, science-based, and evidence-driven public health interventions,” the agency stressed.

The advisory was released following the death of a Grade 4 pupil from Trece Martires City, Cavite, after a deworming activity conducted on July 2 in coordination with the City Health Office.

The pupil was hospitalized on July 3 after experiencing vomiting and died later that day.

The Department of Education reported that based on initial medical findings, the cause of death was linked to an infection that led to septic shock.

July 17, 2026 0 comments

Opinion

Preventing early and coerced adolescent pregnancies

by Contributor March 18, 2026

written by Contributor

ADOLESCENCE is a period of rapid physical, sexual, mental, and social development. It presents both opportunities for learning and risks of unintended pregnancies and coerced sex. Prominent sexual health needs during this transition include anxieties about maturing bodies, insecurities regarding identity and orientation, and heightened urges to engage in relationships and sexual activities.

Lost opportunity to apply comprehensive sexuality education (CSE)

Unfortunately, many Filipino adults stigmatize this heightened sexual curiosity, labeling experimentation as “promiscuous” or “indecent” behavior that is dangerous to both adolescents and society. Instead of affirming these changes as a natural part of growing up, some adults choose to suppress them. Rather than equipping youth with protective information and skills, they prefer to override adolescent autonomy. Instead of implementing effective models like CSE that empower youth, opponents subvert the program with misinformation and political interference.

CSE is an educational approach informed by global experiences in addressing adolescent pregnancy, STIs, and HIV. Evidence shows that CSE is effective in: 1) delaying sexual initiation for those who are not yet active; 2) reducing the number of sexual partners and the frequency of sexual activity; and 3) increasing the consistent use of protection, such as condoms and contraceptives, among those who are active.

Unfortunately for adolescents and their families, the Department of Education replaced its CSE and human rights-based policy with a parents’ rights and protective framework in 2025. This shift marks a departure from evidence-based empowerment toward a more restrictive approach to sexual health.

WHO recommendations for effective prevention of early and coerced pregnancy

As early as 2011, the WHO recommended the following evidence-based strategies: 1) reducing marriage before age 18; 2) lowering pregnancy rates among those under 20; 3) increasing contraceptive use among adolescents at risk of unintended pregnancy; and 4) preventing coerced sex among adolescents.

Reducing marriage before age 18 involves influencing policy, family and community norms to defer marriage, empowering girls, and motivating them to pursue careers.

Lowering pregnancy rates among those under 20 requires earnest CSE in schools, alongside advocacy engaging relevant stakeholders to support pregnancy prevention and sexuality education.

Increasing contraceptive use among adolescents at risk of unintended pregnancy involves first, formulating laws and policies to increase access to contraceptive information and services; second, transforming health facilities into “adolescent-friendly” centers that offer contraception and other reproductive health services through providers trained to respect adolescents’ rights; and third, fostering families and communities that support adolescents’ access to contraceptives.

Preventing coerced sex among adolescents involves strengthening social norms that promote gender equality and reject sexual abuse and violence; empowering adolescent girls to resist sexual coercion; and convincing men and boys to advocate for gender equality.

Policy and normative reforms needed

Effectively preventing early and coerced pregnancy requires a balance of protective and empowering strategies. Many protective laws are already in place, such as the Anti-Rape Law (1997) and the Anti-VAWC Law (2004), which criminalize physical, sexual, emotional, and financial violence. Additionally, the Family Code (1987) and the Anti-Child Marriage Law (2021) forbid and punish marriage before age 18.

However, restrictive and punitive laws are not always sufficient. For example, despite stricter marriage laws, the Philippines has seen a surge in births among unmarried women—rising from less than 10% in the 1990s to 60% in 2024. These informal “live-in” situations, increasingly common among adolescents, heighten the risk of unplanned pregnancy—a critical need that remains unaddressed when policies focus primarily on married women.

With the scrapping of CSE in schools, it remains to be seen if the new “Reproductive Health Education” policy can inculcate life skills in adolescents so they can protect themselves and manage their lives.

Policies that foster a supportive environment for sexually active adolescents, particularly girls, are sorely lacking. Without such support, these young women—comprising less than 10% of girls aged 15–19—must battle stigma, judgment, and rejection just to access essential services. Historically, their need for contraception has been subordinated by legislative frameworks that frame teen pregnancy almost exclusively as a result of sexual abuse and coercion. By focusing only on abuse, their explicit need for—and choice of—contraception is often obfuscated by the generic and less controversial term “reproductive health services.”

While legislators debate the merits of various APP Bills, a multisectoral movement—comprising adolescents, parents, health workers, teachers, government employees, and faith groups—is working to provide solutions on the ground. The strategies to help adolescents prevent early and coerced pregnancy are already known. But a key question remains: will legislators provide the enabling law?

Allona Marie Hermosa
Communications Officer
Likhaan Center for Women’s Health
27 Ofelia Street, Barangay Bahay Toro, Quezon City
7116-6587 • office@likhaan.org • https://likhaan.org

March 18, 2026 0 comments

Health

Civil society presses FDA to assure consumers that play and craft sand products sold locally are asbestos-free

by Contributor March 10, 2026

written by Contributor

QUEZON CITY — In anticipation of World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) on March 15, themed “Safe Products, Confident Consumers,” over 50 health and environmental rights advocates sent an urgent appeal to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take timely and decisive regulatory action to ensure that all play and craft sand products available in the Philippine market are demonstrably free from asbestos, a known carcinogen with no known safe level of exposure.

The appeal for “mandatory testing, certification and labeling of asbestos-free play and craft sand products,” initiated by the toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition, was triggered by recent recalls in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, following tests confirming asbestos contamination of such products, “even when marketed as safe for children.”

“These incidents underscore a critical regulatory gap: products of a similar type and supply chains may already be present in the Philippine market without routine verification of asbestos safety,” they said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies asbestos as one of the 10 chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health concern. In children, the risks are compounded by developmental vulnerability and frequent hand-to-mouth behaviors, increasing the likelihood of ingestion or inhalation.

All forms of asbestos are already prohibited in toys and other products under the DENR Administrative Order No. 2000-02, or the Chemical Control Order for Asbestos, yet without systematic testing and certification requirements, this prohibition cannot be reliably enforced in practice, the signatories noted.

“The Philippines has already established a strong policy position against asbestos in consumer products. At this critical juncture, decisive regulatory enforcement and transparency measures are needed to translate policy into effective protection, especially for children and other at-risk members of society,” the letter said.

With these points in mind, the concerned groups and individuals appealed to the FDA to implement the following steps:

A. Mandatory third-party laboratory certification confirming that all play and craft sand products are asbestos-free before market authorization;

B. Clear, visible, and standardized “asbestos-free” labeling on all product packaging to support informed consumer choice;

C. Strengthened post-market surveillance and enforcement, including targeted sampling of products sold through physical stores, e-commerce platforms, and social media channels.

In light of the recent international recalls and the potential for similar products to circulate locally, and in pursuit of the objectives of the Global Framework on Chemicals – For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste, they further urged the FDA to undertake immediate risk mitigation actions, including:

A. Conduct immediate verification to determine if products recalled abroad are locally sold and the swift recall of the same;

B. Prompt market sampling and laboratory testing of currently available products, including products sold without authorization; and

C. Order a precautionary, time-bound restriction on the sale of play and craft sand products pending submission of verified laboratory results by Market Authorization Holders.

These actions are consistent with the precautionary principle and reflect the State’s duty to proactively prevent harm, particularly when children’s health is at stake, and exposure risks are avoidable, the groups and individuals said.

“We stand ready to support the FDA in advancing this initiative, including through stakeholder engagement and public awareness efforts. We respectfully seek your urgent consideration of the above recommendations to ensure that no child in the Philippines is exposed to preventable risks from contaminated play products,” the civil society letter to the FDA concluded.

Groups and individuals from the academic, environmental, health, science and technology, labor, and waste sectors, including the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health – Center for Research and Innovation (ACRI), Action for Nurturing Children and Environment (ANCE), Arugaan, Green Convergence for Safe Food, Healthy Environment and Sustainable Economy, Greepeace, Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS), Living Laudato Si Movement, Mother Earth Foundation (MEF), and the Philippine Earth Justice Center (PEJC), signed the appeal sent to the FDA on March 9, 2026.

In particular, organizations working on asbestos issues extended their support, including the Associated Labor Unions – Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP); Institute for Occupational Health and Safety Development (IOHSAD); Asbestos Diseases Society of Australia (ADSA); Toxics Free Australia (TFA); Consumer Protection Organization (LPKSM) Yasa Nata Budi, Local Initiative for OSH Network (LION) and Nexus 3 Foundation, Indonesia; Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP), Malaysia; Center for Public Health and Environmental Development (CEPHED), Nepal; Consumer NZ, New Zealand; and the Airtight on Asbestos, UK.

March 10, 2026 0 comments

Health

EcoWaste Coalition discovers toxic cadmium in plastic fiesta banderitas

by Contributor January 14, 2026

written by Contributor

QUEZON CITY –. Plastic fiesta banderitas pose a dual threat: the massive quantity used for a non-essential purpose and their inherent toxicity.

The environmental watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition made this observation after finding colorful plastics used in the banderitas for the popular feast of the Santo Niño with cadmium, a cancer-causing substance classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the 10 chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health concern.

Cadmium, with chemical symbol Cd and atomic number 48, is a cumulative toxin linked to central nervous system and cardiovascular disorders, respiratory issues, cognitive and behavioral problems, bone weakening, kidney damage, and increased risk of cancers such as kidney, lung, pancreatic, and prostate cancers.

The EcoWaste Coalition, which advocates for a zero-waste and toxics-free society, revealed its findings following a chemical screening it conducted on new plastic sheets for making banderitas. Sold for P38 per meter in Binondo, Manila, these plastics are widely used to decorate many communities celebrating the festive feast in honor of the Child Jesus.

With the aid of a handheld Olympus M Vanta Series X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer, the group detected cadmium at levels exceeding 100 parts per million (ppm), the maximum limit for this chemical under the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (ROHS). The regional bloc banned cadmium in plastics as early as 2011 to protect public health and reduce pollution.

Of the nine colors bought and analyzed, all were found to contain cadmium, ranging from 224 to 336 ppm, way above the 100 ppm limit.

The green, orange, and violet colors contained 336 ppm, 320 ppm, and 315 ppm of cadmium. The blue, yellow, white, brown, red, and pink colors had 299 ppm, 298 ppm, 286 ppm, 269 ppm, 244 ppm, and 224 ppm, respectively.

The detection of cadmium in the banderitas may be attributed to its use as a stabilizer in plastic manufacturing, particularly in the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, which uses many toxic additives, such as plasticizers like phthalates to make it flexible and soft, and heavy metal stabilizers like cadmium and lead to prevent the plastic from degrading during processing and use.

Aside from the cadmium exposure effects on humans, particularly among workers in factories and waste facilities, and to consumers, the EcoWaste Coalition is concerned about the release of cadmium in the environment through the disposal of materials containing cadmium, such as plastic fiesta banderitas, which often end up being dumped or landfilled.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme’s Final Review of Scientific Information on Cadmium, “products containing cadmium are not typically collected separately from the general waste stream in developing countries. Therefore, cadmium discards will end up in municipal waste and disposed of in landfills, incineration, open burning, or indiscriminate dumping.”

The plastic fiesta banderitas will turn into microplastics and nanoplastics as they break down in dumpsites, releasing the harmful chemicals into the environment. If incinerated, the banderitas will cause the formation and discharge of dioxins, the toxic byproducts of burning chlorinated materials such as PVC plastic.

This is not the first time the EcoWaste Coalition detected cadmium in PVC plastic materials as part of its advocacy to protect public health and the environment from hazardous chemicals, and contribute to building a zero waste and toxics-free society.

Laboratory tests commissioned by the group confirmed the cadmium content of the analyzed PVC plastic school bags, PVC plastic raincoats, and PVC plastic tarpaulins, such as those used in the last mid-term elections.

For example, 12 campaign tarpaulins used by senatorial candidates during the May 12, 2025 elections and subsequently sent to a private laboratory for cadmium analysis were found to contain 219 ppm to 736 ppm of cadmium.

As Zero Waste Month is observed this January as per Presidential Proclamation 760, the EcoWaste Coalition emphasized the urgency of adopting and enforcing global, national, and local policies to prevent, reduce, and eliminate plastic pollution. Among other things, this will entail the identification and transparency for chemicals used in plastic manufacturing, the eventual phase-out of toxic plastic chemicals, and putting a cap on plastic production, the group added.

January 14, 2026 0 comments

Health

Unilab joins forces with healthcare community to ensure quality medicines for Filipinos

by Contributor December 18, 2025

written by Contributor

THE WORLD Health Organization (WHO) estimates that at least one out of 10 medicines in low- and middle-income countries is either falsified or substandard. The WHO considers this a serious global problem that can lead to health risks, treatment failures, and even death.

To safeguard the health of Filipinos, Unilab, Inc. is joining forces with stakeholders in the health community to uphold the highest global standards of pharmaceutical quality.

“Quality can never be assumed – it must be proven. Because not all medicines and healthcare products are created equal,” said Unilab, Inc. president and CEO Sebastian Frederick F. Baquiran during the company’s recent celebration of World Quality Week– which had the theme “Quality: Think Differently; Challenging Assumptions, Redefining Quality in Medicines” – in Mandaluyong City.

“The difference between what merely claims to heal and what truly delivers healing lies in quality – quality grounded in science, upheld by standards, and tested by integrity,” he added.

Baquiran then called on the healthcare community to band together for quality. “Let us raise awareness about what quality truly means and challenge the assumption that it is automatically guaranteed in every product.”

Advocating for the health and safety of Filipinos

At the opening ceremony of the Unilab Quality Week, partners from the Philippine Medical Association (PMA), Philippine Academy of Family Physicians, Philippine Pharmacists Association, Drugstores Association of the Philippines (DSAP), Community Pharmacists Association of the Drugstores Association of the Philippines (CPhAD), and Integrated Chemists of the Philippines participated in activities that showcased the journey to quality medicines, and showed how Unilab ensures the safety and efficacy of its products – from research and formulation, to manufacturing, storage, and distribution, and even after these are sold in the market.

“It has always been part of our advocacy to really push for quality medicines, and I am glad that Unilab has committed to this advocacy as well. Quality medicines plus pharmacovigilance equals patient safety. And at the end of the day, that’s what we want to achieve,” said Dr. Maria Minerva P. Calimag, past PMA president and professor at the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery.

Dr. Maria Minerva P. Calimag, past president of the Philippine Medical Association and
professor at the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery

For his part, CPhAD president Romvon V. Daligdig said, “Each medicine that we dispense has the power to heal, and at the same time, the power to harm. With the collaboration of doctors, pharmacists, manufacturers, and distributors, we can give the best medication journey to every Filipino.”

Dapat Unilab Quality

The latest National Demographic and Health Survey shows that 30% of Filipino households do not consider medicines and vitamins from drugstores safe.

To be certain about the safety and effectiveness of the healthcare products they take, Filipinos are advised to buy only those that have the “Apat na Marka ng Quality Alaga.”

First is “Subok at Napatunayan.” Unilab – maker of trusted brands such as Biogesic, Ceelin, and Enervon – assures Filipinos that all its products are a result of rigorous development, and that its claims on product safety and efficacy are always backed by scientific data and evidence.

Second is “Ayon sa Standards.” Unilab adheres to the guidelines of the Food and Drug Administration, as well as to stringent, globally recognized good practices, like Good Laboratory Practices, Good Clinical Practices, Good Manufacturing Practices, Good Storage and Distribution Practices, and Good Pharmacovigilance Practices.

The third hallmark of quality care is “Sinuring Mabuti.” Unilab ensures that quality benchmarks are met and even exceeded every step of the way, by doing thorough checks on raw materials, finished goods, and processes.

The fourth “Marka ng Quality Alaga” is “Gawang World-Class.” Unilab has world-class laboratories, manufacturing plants, and distribution facilities that are operated by a team of technical experts.

“In Unilab, quality is the responsibility of everyone,” said Unilab Operating Vice President and Head of Research and Development Joyce B. Santos.

“Ensuring quality according to a global standard is Unilab’s commitment. It has always been our commitment, more so today on our 80^th year. Filipinos deserve nothing less than true quality care,” she said.

In line with this commitment, Unilab’s scientists, researchers, and technical teams have started to conduct continuing professional education (CPE) programs to share their expertise and best practices with the academe and healthcare professionals. It will continue to collaborate with stakeholders in the healthcare industry towards a healthier Philippines, one quality medicine at a time.

December 18, 2025 0 comments

Opinion

The vape trap reality

by Contributor December 3, 2025

written by Contributor

HE WAS not asking for pity. Just ten days before he died, former air force man Mohd Radzi recorded a six-minute video from his hospital bed, tubes everywhere, a clear bag collecting pus from his lungs. His message was painfully simple: “To the young generation, stop vaping. There’s still time and hope.” He had switched from 40 sticks a day to vape thinking it was safer. That choice pushed him to the edge—and then past it. His final breath felt like a warning meant for all of us.

Radzi’s story is not rare. In a world where vapes look like candy and USBs, vaping has turned into a lifestyle badge—stylish, rebellious, “cool.” Many students whisper, “At least hindi sigarilyo,” as if rebranding makes danger disappear.

But the truth stings. The Philippine Pediatric Society reports a sharp rise in youth e-cigarette use, with EVALI—vape-related lung injuries—now hitting teenagers. Our first confirmed case? A 16-year-old from the Visayas who ended up in intensive care, fighting for each breath.

Vaping is not harmless. Studies show it damages blood vessels, strains the heart, and rarely helps smokers quit. Many end up using both cigarettes and vape—double trouble disguised as choice.

Still, the packaging, the flavors, the sleek designs create an illusion of safety. But as Dr. Maricar Limpin says: poison, even diluted, is still poison. You don’t drink bleach just because it’s “less strong.” Yet this is exactly how vape marketing operates—selling a weaker danger as salvation.

And the harm doesn’t stop with the user. Vape clouds linger. They carry ultrafine particles, heavy metals, and cancer-causing chemicals. Classrooms, jeepneys, coffee shops, even CRs have become unwilling fog chambers. You may not vape, but the person beside you does—and your lungs don’t get to opt out.

The cultural discomfort is real too. Walking into a hallway filled with strawberry-scented fog is not just annoying—it’s a reminder that addiction can now hide behind fruit flavors and social flexes.

Even the World Health Organization has raised the alarm about aggressive marketing aimed at kids—bubblegum flavors, influencer posts, music festivals. “It is dishonest to talk about harm reduction when you are marketing to children,” WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus warned.

Here at home, the Department of Health has been saying the same thing, louder each year. The colorful pods and sweet scents mask toxic chemicals linked to lung damage, heart disease, and even cancer. The DOH has slammed claims that vapes are “safer” or “nicotine-free,” stressing that minors are the most vulnerable targets. And with 7 in 10 Filipino teens having tried vaping—and the country recording its first vape-related death—the DOH is now pushing for a full nationwide ban, aligned with WHO global efforts.

The numbers are frightening. From just 37,000 vapers in 2021 to more than 400,000 in 2023, the surge is staggering. A million users by 2025 no longer feels unthinkable.

Regulations exist, but enforcement limps. Health experts want the minimum age raised again to 21, flavored pods banned, and FDA authority restored. DTI’s suspension of online vape sales is a start, but the pro-vape lobby remains loud and well-funded.

Yet beyond policies, what truly changes people is stories—the ones that happen quietly, near us. A student gasping after an easy P.E. run. A teacher leaving the faculty room because the air feels too heavy. A parent finding a vape buried in a child’s bag.

This is not just a lung issue. It is a shared-space issue. It is about the air we all breathe, the habits we normalize, and the consequences we pretend are far away.

Vaping is not rebellion.

It is not freedom.

It is not harmless.

It is a culture dressed in smoke, promising relief but delivering harm.

Radzi’s last message was not wasted. His warning came from a place we hope never to reach. The clouds we enjoy today may become the regrets we carry tomorrow. No one on a hospital bed wishes they had vaped more.

So before lighting another pod, maybe we pause and ask ourselves a simple question: Is this really worth the risk—not just to me, but to everyone breathing beside me?

***

Doc H fondly describes himself as a “student of and for life” who, like many others, aspires to a life-giving and why-driven world grounded in social justice and the pursuit of happiness. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the institutions he is employed or connected with.

December 3, 2025 0 comments

Health

Doctors Without Borders’ findings show WHO algorithms could double the number of children diagnosed and treated for TB

by Contributor November 18, 2025

written by Contributor

COPENHAGEN – At the World Conference on Lung Health this week, Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) released data from its operational research highlighting that using the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended treatment decision algorithms, for diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) in children can nearly double the number of children who can be initiated on lifesaving TB treatment.

The WHO algorithms are guided scoring systems that allow physicians to initiate TB treatment if the symptoms of the child are strongly indicative of TB disease, even if laboratory tests are unavailable or test results appear negative. Doctors Without Borders urged policymakers to adopt the WHO algorithms in their national guidelines and ensure timely implementation so that more children with TB can access life-saving diagnosis and treatment.

Doctors Without Borders Test Avoid Cure Tuberculosis in Children (TACTiC) research study evaluated the WHO algorithms in 1,846 children under 10 years with symptoms suggestive of pulmonary TB between August 2023 and October 2025 across five countries: Uganda, Niger, Nigeria, Guinea, and South Sudan, including children facing severe acute malnutrition and children living with HIV.

Doctors Without Borders data showed that the WHO algorithms identified the majority of children with TB correctly and, on average, doubled the proportion of children who could be initiated on TB treatment. Doctors Without Borders’ findings further showed that the introduction of the WHO algorithms not only supports health care workers in the diagnosis of TB in children and is feasible to use, but also increases parents’ satisfaction with the timely TB care their children received.

“Before, health workers relied on coughing, and as long as children weren’t coughing, they thought they didn’t have tuberculosis,” said Dr. Angeline Dore, focal point for the TACTiC project in Guinea. “The WHO algorithms now tell us not to rely on coughing; there are other signs for TB as well.”

An estimated 1.2 million children and young adolescents under the age of 15 years fell ill with TB in 2024. Although the disease can be cured, TB in children often remains undiagnosed, as the currently available laboratory tests are designed for adults and do not work sufficiently well in children.

In addition, most laboratory tests require a sputum sample, which children struggle to produce, and even when they do, the low bacterial levels in their lungs often make detection by laboratory tests impossible. The WHO Global Tuberculosis Report published last week showed that a staggering 43% of the children with TB were misdiagnosed in 2024 and could not access life-saving treatment.

Dr. Trisha Thadhani, the medical doctor for the MSF Tondo TB project, assesses the health condition of a child in the Aroma neighbourhood, Barangay 105, Tondo, Manila, the Philippines, March 2, 2023. Her team conducts the active case finding (ACF) activities for TB in the urban settlements of Tondo districts I and II.

In 2022, WHO revised its guidance for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in children management of TB in children to be in line with the most recent scientific evidence. Among several important updates, the new WHO guidelines recommend the use of treatment decision algorithms for the diagnosis of TB in children in settings with and without access to X-ray. However, despite being recommended by the WHO, many countries have not yet adopted these algorithms in their national guidelines nor facilitated their implementation in healthcare facilities.

“Too many children with TB are still slipping through the cracks in the absence of effective diagnostic tools,” said Dr Helena Huerga, principal investigator of the TACTiC research study conducted by Doctors Without Borders. “Our findings prove that WHO’s treatment decision algorithms, for which we do not need lab test results to initiate TB treatment in children, work in real-world settings and can potentially save many more children’s lives if implemented. The science is clear – what’s now missing is the political will to put it into practice.”

With the recent global aid funding cuts that threaten to widen gaps in identifying and treating people with TB, Doctors Without Borders called on countries and their stakeholders, including international donors, to step up and ensure sustained funding for TB care for all, especially young children, as they already face the largest gaps in accessing TB care.
“In addition to timely adoption and implementation of the WHO algorithms, policymakers, donors, and implementers must also anticipate and plan for an increase in supply of medicines needed to treat children to ensure that all children who are diagnosed with TB can access TB treatment without any delay,” said Daniel Martinez Garcia, project leader of the Doctors Without Borders TACTiC project.

November 18, 2025 0 comments

Health

World Rabies Day: Act now – you, me, and the community

by Contributor September 28, 2025

written by Contributor

SEPTEMBER 28 is World Rabies Day, and for the first time in its 19-year history, the theme for this year’s observance does not include the word “rabies.”

“Act now: You, Me, Community” is calling on everyone to take responsibility, work together, and drive real change.

Rabies, a neglected tropical disease, is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic, viral disease that affects the central nervous system. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 99% of human rabies cases are a result of virus transmission from dogs, and the most vulnerable to rabies are children aged 5-14 years old. Every year, 59,000 rabies-caused human deaths all over the world are recorded by WHO.

DOH Davao data shows that an average of 4,181 animal bite cases are recorded monthly in the Davao Region. An average of two people die from rabies every month.

DOH Davao works with local government units to scale rabies prevention and treatment through providing rabies exposure management training for doctors and nurses, and vaccine augmentation.

DOH Davao also encourages the public to help prevent rabies by getting vaccinated and by being a responsible pet owner: do not let your pets roam freel,y and register and vaccinate your pets. Seek immediate medical attention from DOH-certified animal bite treatment centers when bitten or scratched by your pets.

“World Rabies Day highlights the relationship between our pets and our health,” said DOH acting regional director Dr. Ellenietta HMV N. Gamolo.

She added that rabies prevention and responsible pet ownership are in our hands. The responsibility is shared among local leaders, too! Their leadership can ensure that resources are in place for vaccination and registration in communities. They can also enact policies that create safer neighborhoods by impounding stray animals and promoting responsible pet ownership. DOH Davao PR

September 28, 2025 0 comments