Iloilo City, Aug. 1 -- Guimaras is being groomed to become the first tuberculosis-free island in the Philippines, according to a health group.

In a media conference on Thursday afternoon, Philippine Tuberculosis Society Inc (PTSI) executive director Dr. Pauline Jean Rosell-Ubial said they are working on an initiative to test at least half of Guimaras' population every two years with the hope of declaring the town TB-free in four to five years.

"If we prove that, we will bring the strategy to other parts of the country," she said, adding for this endeavor, they are working with the Department of Health (DOH) and the local government unit.

Ubial, a former health secretary, also said the initiative used to be a project of the United State...