TB medicine supplies may arrive by October, DOH says

MANILA, Philippines – Tuberculosis (TB) medication supplies may arrive as early as next month, acting Health Secretary Edwin Mercado said on Wednesday.

Mercado acknowledged that the agency had faced procurement delays for anti-TB medicines and testing cartridges, as he urged the Department of Health (DOH) to fast-track the purchase of essential drugs and equipment.

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The agency is set to evaluate bids from Sept. 3 to 10, with contracts expected to be awarded by the end of the month, he said. Supplies could be delivered as early as October or November.

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“I gave a directive to really push,” Mercado told lawmakers.

TB is an endemic illness in the Philippines, which ranked third globally in 2024 after the country accounted for 6.8 percent of cases worldwide, according to a 2025 World Health Organization report.

The DOH implements a national TB control program, and Mercado’s predecessor, Jose Brittanio “Brix” Pujalte, Jr. came under fire for allegedly delaying the medicine’s procurement.

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Pujalte denied the claim, saying the review was for transparency and to ensure the purchase complies with government regulations.

Mercado also said the DOH sought a foreign grant worth almost $159 million for TB, malaria and human immunodeficiency virus medicine, though he gave no further details. /dl