Communicable Diseases

Eight of the 10 leading causes of morbidity in 2008 were infectious in origin, namely: acute lower respiratory tract infection and pneumonia, acute watery diarrhea, bronchitis/bronchiolitis, influenza, tuberculosis, malaria, acute febrile illness, and dengue fever.

Tuberculosis, Malaria and HIV continue to account for a large number of deaths from infectious diseases. In 2003, it was estimated that over 500 000 disability adjusted life years (DALYs) were lost due to illness and premature mortality from tuberculosis (TB) in the Philippines annually, which was equal to 9% of all years of life lost.

Significant improvements have been made in malaria prevention and control. As of 2008, only five provinces out of 79 remained highly endemic while the number of provinces declared malaria-free almost doubled to 22. The number of cases in terms of morbidity and mortality fell by more than half from 2005 to 2008 and number of deaths decreased by more than two-thirds over the same period. The Philippine Department of Health is repositioning its malaria programme from “control” to “pre-elimination.”

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