The two-year project, “Building community-based health programs in Cebu through training, education and services,” shall be implemented in Barangay T. Padilla, Barangay Ermita (Sitio Ermita Beach) and Barangay Pasil (Sitio Lawis) in Cebu City, Barangay Subangdaku (Sitio Back of Matimco) in Mandaue City, and Barangay Bankal in Lapu-lapu City. Beneficiaries in the barangays include 310 households in Barangay T. Padilla, 240 households in Sitio Ermita Beach, 220 households in Sitio Lawis, 160 households in Sitio Back of Matimco, and 250 households in Barangay Bankal.
The project works with people’s organizations in the communities, including the Pundok sa Sitio Para sa Kauswagan (PSPK) in T. Padilla, Ermita Farmers’ Association in Ermita, Pasil Women’s Association in Pasil, KALUWASAN in Sitio Back of Matimco, and Casia Matab-ang Residents’ Association in Bankal. They have health committees with community health workers (CHWs) interested and willing to be part of the project.
The project shall train the CHWs and promote health awareness of residents in the five areas with the aim to empower them in terms of health care delivery on common health problems that can be prevented in the community level. Basic health skills trainings of three progressive levels will be rendered to 75 CHWs in order to equip them with basic knowledge and skills to render preventive, promotive and selective curative care to the residents. The VPHCS staff shall also guide, monitor and upgrade the knowledge and skills of the trained CHWs in between trainings as they deliver their health services to the residents.
Health information classes on common health issues existing in their areas will also be delivered to the residents. Furthermore, the project shall deliver health services including medical check-ups to indigent residents in the five communities which shall serve as the practicum of the trained CHWs with the guidance of the VPHCS staff and volunteer health professionals. Medicines shall be solicited from non-government organizations.
The project is highly significant today with the prevalence of common health problems that can be addressed in the community level. It has been observed that people seek tertiary care in the hospitals when they are already affected with serious illnesses that could have been prevented in their early stage in their homes. With increased health awareness and capacity in knowing, preventing and taking care of their own health needs through home remedies and indigenous resources in their communities, the incidence of serious illnesses and preventable ailments can be lessened. Eventually, the high cost of hospital care which unfortunately is now generally shouldered from out-of-the pockets can also be lessened. In the long term, quality of life can be enhanced.
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