The second phase of the Medical Teleparasitology (MTP) project commenced in November 2017. As part of this project, the Training on Diagnostic Parasitology and Medical Teleparasitology was held on May 29-31, 2018 at Saint Louis University-School of Medicine (SLU-SOM) in Baguio City. This training course was conducted in partnership with the Department of Health Regional Office-Cordillera Administrative Region (DOH RO-CAR) and SLU-SOM. A total of 36 participants from the different provinces and municipalities in CAR including Baguio, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, Apayao, and Benguet attended the training course.
The training sessions featured updates on epidemiology, prevention and control of parasitic infections in the Philippines; laboratory diagnostic techniques and quality assurance in parasite identification; and the application of MTP to diagnostic parasitology.
The highlight of the training course was the presentation of the enhanced MTP system. The trainees were able to register online and send referrals through the demonstration site.
The MTP system is an information and communications (ICT)-based diagnostic parasitology system that links medical technologists in peripheral laboratories to diagnostic parasitologists based in Manila. Appropriate and correct management of parasitic infections greatly depends on accurate and timely diagnosis. Less common emerging or re-emerging parasitic infections are prone to being misdiagnosed. Misdiagnosis will contribute to delays in the administration of appropriate and life-saving treatment. Through the combined efforts of the stakeholders involved in the MTP system, these challenges related to the quality of reporting and diagnosis of parasitic infections may be addressed.