The Japanese government has pegged a US$350,223 grant, equivalent to P16.1 million, for a project that seeks to eradicate tuberculosis (TB) in slum areas in Metro Manila.

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Makoto Katsura and Ms. Maho Suzuki of the Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association (JATA), a Japanese non-governmental organization (NGO), signed a grant contract for the Tuberculosis Control Project in Socio-economically Underprivileged Urban Area in Metro Manila.

The project will benefit 440,000 residents in the slum areas of Payatas, Quezon City and Tondo, Manila.

“In this phase, they will continue training doctors and paramedics, assist the Philippine NGO partners acting in the area to introduce ETR (Electronic Tuberculosis Register) to effectively share useful patient information,” the Japanese Embassy stated.

“Furthermore, they will strengthen networking with the Philippine NGO partners which they have built during the past two years, as well as invite other new Philippine NGOs to join the network to expand the network. In addition, they will educate the local residents through events,” it added.