VPHCS, Inc.

ACT program officer visits Cebu, Bohol

2011-11-22T05:27:00.000-08:00

Asian Community Trust (ACT) Program Officer Megumi Nishijima recently visited Bohol in order to gain first-hand experience of the progress of its project being implemented in partnership with the Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc.

ACT program officer Megumi Nishijima attends meeting with farmers in project areas, November 18.

Ms. Nishijima visited Barangay Sto. Nino in the Municipality of San Miguel and Barangay Caluasan in the Municipality of Dagohoy last Nov. 17- 18, 2011 in line with the ongoing project "Building community-based health programs to promote health and prevent disease in Bohol.” The project started in April 2010 and is on its second year.

Mothers listen to the health discussion.

VPHCS staff Dr. Grace Molina, Cheryl Molina and Petty de Castro with Ms. Nishijima.

Community health workers picking lagundi leaves to be processed into lagundi syrup, a bronchodilator for common cough.

The ACT, Japan's first fund raising-style charitable trust, was established in 1979 to assist people at the grass-roots level in Asian developing countries. It has supported projects in more than five Asian countries, in fields spanning health, medical treatment, education, youth training, and development of rural communities. It has funded several projects in urban poor settlers and fishermen communities in Cebu.

Ms. Nishijima talked with leaders and community health workers of the farmers’ organization in Sto. Nino, the Hugpong Mag-uuma sa San Miguel (HUMASA) or the Farmers Association in San Miguel and the farmers’ organization Mga Mag-Uuma sa LACALSANDA Apektado sa Land Levelling (MALALA) (Farmers in Lacalsanda affected by Land levelling) in Caluasan.

Ms. Nishijima (extreme left) listens to a community health worker conduct a health discussion.

A health education was conducted by a CHW during her visit.

Later, Ms. Nishijima visited the VPHCS office on Nov. 21 and discussed with the VPHCS office about her visit insights and plans for the project.

Ms, Nishijima with VPHCS staff, Novemeber 21, 2011.

Asian Community Trust project in Bohol continues

2011-11-18T06:14:00.000-08:00

The community-based health program (CBHP) supported by the Asian Community Trust (ACT) in Japan in Brgy. Sto.Niño in San Miguel and Brgy.Caluasan in Dagohoy, Bohol is on it’s second year.

The project which started in April 2010 and continued for another year starting April 2011 aims to address the health needs of the farmers through the primary health care approach.

Community health workers from Sto. Nino and Caluasan listen to Dr. Grace Molina during the Basic Health Skills Training in the VPHCS training center, Baclayon.

Basic health skills training for 12 CHWs of Caluasan was held. Topics included (1) basic health orientation, (2) basic anatomy and physiology, (3) nutrition and food supplementation, (4) management of common diseases, (4) basic first aid and, (5) guide to health campaign.

With the knowledge and skills they garnered in the trainings in the first and second years, the CHWs handled common illnesses such as upper respiratory tract infections or common colds, diarrhea, fever, gastritis, muscle and joint pains, tension headaches, and skin diseases with the use of herbal medicines, water therapy, ventusa, and over-the-counter medications such as paracetamol, antacids, oral rehydration salts, and common antibiotics. Cases that they cannot handle were quickly referred to the health centers or government hospitals for more specialized care.

Blood pressure monitoring was also conducted by the CHWs for identified hypertensive patients even as new cases of hypertension were screened in the series of operation blood pressure that the CHWs conducted. Hypertensive patients were also referred for further work-up for possible complications and associated illnesses such as heart diseases and diabetes mellitus.

Sto. Niño Farmers Association assembly on Sept 4.

The trained CHWs also continued to raise the health awareness of the people on disease prevention and health promotion through monthly health education classes and health services. Topics included home remedies for common ailments, nutrition, basic first aid, family planning and contraception, control of acute respiratory tract infections, and control of diarrheal diseases, among others.

A nutrition program is ongoing to address the malnutrition problem among preschool children in the two project areas. Malnourished children are given nutritious food while health information on nutrition is disseminated.

A family planning program was also launched in Caluasan, Dagohoy to address the unmet need for family planning which was identified in the community diagnosis survey conducted in the first year.

To ensure partnership with local government officials, the leaders and CHWs also paid courtesy calls to incumbent barangay officials.

VPHCS staff and Sto. Nino farmers association leaders attend a barangay council meeting.

Other activities for the rest of the year include health skills trainings for CHWs, special leadership skills training for the leaders of the farmers associations, continued monthly community education classes, regular community clinics and home visits by the CHWs, and networking with barangay councils, municipal governments and civic organizations in order to generate resources and promote their community-based health programs.

Farmer leaders meet with VPHCS staff.

Since community participation is a hallmark of CBHPs, the people in the barangays have indeed strived hard to collectively work together to address their common health issues and problems through their CBHP.

German Philipinenburo staff visits VPHCS

2011-11-10T19:23:00.000-08:00

Michael Reckordt, executive director of the Philippinenburo in Germany recently visited the VPHCS office and got acquainted with its programs and services.

Beckordt met with the VPHCS staff last Nov. 9, 2011 as part of his visit in Cebu to get to know more about current Philippine issues.

Michael Reckordt with VPHCS staff, November 9, 2011.

Philippinenburo is an information and solidarity center of the German Asia House which was established by the German Asia Foundation in Essen in 1995 to promote dialogue with countries of Asia and Asians living in Germany.

Philippinenburo’s activities comprise publishing informations and campaigning on various issues, maintaining links between Germany and Asia and organizing cultural and educational events.

Reckordt was a member of the International Observers Mission (IOM) who came to the country to observe the conduct of the automated elections and election practices in May 2010.

Michael jotting down notes during a meeting with Ermita residents.

While in Cebu, he also visited Ermita and talked with the members of the Ermita Fisher Folks Association (EFFA) to know about their situation.

Asmae – VPHCS end of project document released

2011-10-20T11:08:00.000-07:00

An end of the project document (EOPD) of the VPHCS three-year projects with the Asmae – Association Soeur Emmanuelle in France has just been released.

The 28-page document in magazine form chronicles the three projects implemented with the support of Asmae from March 2008 to December 2010 to improve the health and welfare of three urban poor communities in Metro Cebu, namely: Sitio St. Mary Grace in Barangay Talamban, Cebu City, Sitio Back of Matimco in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City, and Sitio Salvage in Barangay Looc, Lapu-lapu City.

The VPHCS also reaped huge gains in terms of organizational strengthening and capability building to pursue its programs and services in a more systematic, effective and efficient manner.

One project evolved into the second and then into the third. The first project, “Capability Building on Community-based Health Programs in Cebu: Community Diagnosis” in March 2008 to August 2008 was followed by the second project “Promotion of Environmental Health and Child Nutrition in Community-based Health Programs in Cebu and Strengthening the Sustainability Aspect of the VPHCS” in April 2009 to December 2009 and the third project, “Strengthening and Sustaining the Community-based Health Programs in Cebu” in January 2010 to December 2010.”

The projects worked in partnership with the people’s organizations, including the St. Mary Grace Neighborhood Association in Barangay Talamban, the Kaming Lumulupyo walay Sandigan (KALUWASAN) in Sitio Back of Matimco, and the Anakpawis – Looc Chapter in Sitio Salvage.

Generally, the whole project is part and parcel of the community-based health programs (CBHP) building endeavors of the VPHCS for the past several years.

Building and strengthening local capacity has become more urgent with the advent of the national and global trend on health which emphasizes user-fee services and privatization of government health service agencies in the face of the people’s worsening poverty that severely incapacitates them to pay for health care.

The community projects have indeed harnessed the people’s initiatives to map out their own plans and programs to improve the health situation in their communities. With such initiatives proven and embedded in their organizations, the CBHPs in the three sitios continue to this day to be pursued vigorously in order to meet the health needs of the people in the face of the increasing cost of health care and economic crisis facing our country. The project outputs – the health centers, the toilets, the services of the health committees and the improved health-seeking behavior and general health situation of the people shall remain as indelible hallmarks of the project in the years to come.

Kalihukan sa Katawhan alang sa Kahimsog (KKK) launched in Cebu

2011-10-10T10:16:00.000-07:00

The launching of the Kalihukan sa Katawhan alang sa Kahimsog (KKK) or the People’s Movement for Health was held with the Purple Ribbon Campaign for the passage of the Reproductive Health Bill last October 7.

The VPHCS is one of the convenors of the KKK. The other convenors and participating organizations in the whole-day activity included the following, namely: Catholics for Reproductive Health – Cebu, Consortium for Gender, Health and Development, Crusade against Violence (CAV), Gabriela – Cebu, Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP), Population Commission (POPCOM) Region 7, Association of Concerned Texters (ACT), Bisdak Pride, Inc., Carolinians for Reproductive Health, United Vendors Association (CCUVA), Cebu Urban Poor Women’s League (CUPWOL), National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), Panaghugpong sa Kabus sa Dakbayan sa Cebu (Federation of Urban Poor Organizations in Cebu), Philippine Federation of Married Catholic Priests, Pro Quality Life Training and Development, Sidlak Gender Resource Center – Region 7, SUMAKA, Inc., United Church of Christ in the Philippines, and the Women’s Resource Center of Cebu (WRCV).

Forum in CENDET

The theme was “Reproductive Health towards Universal Access to Comprehensive Health Care for Filipinos.”

The activities included statements, a press conference, a multi-sectoral forum, a city-wide caravan, and a program in Fuente Osmena Park.

March for RH to Fuente Osmena Park

The Purple Ribbon campaign was held in partnership with the Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development Foundation, Inc. (PLCPD), Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN), Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health and Welfare, Inc. (PNGOC), and the Forum for Family Planning and Development.

Former Secretary of Health Dr. Alberto Romualdez, C4RH national president Dr. Edelina Dela Paz, and Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Emerenciana de Jesus spoke in the press conference on the necessity of the RH bill and universal access to health care.

A forum was held in the Center for Development Education and Training (CENDET) at 2: 00 p.m. attended by around 300 members of the participating organizations. Dr. Dela Paz talked on the theme, “The Reproductive Health Bill, a Step Forward towards Universal and Comprehensive Health Care.” Following her talk was Rep. de Jesus with her “Updates, Prospects of the RH Bill.”

Press Conference on the Purple Ribbon Campaign and launching of the KKK.

Simultaneous with the forum was a motorcade of groups and individuals calling for the
passage of the RH bill that toured the major city streets and places including Osmena Boulevard, M.J. Cuenco Ave., Carbon Market, Tabo-an market, Mango Ave. and other major thoroughfares. Leaflets written in Cebuano containing the basics on the RH bill were distributed while speeches and announcements were also made as the motorcade toured around the city.

Motorcade in the city’s major thoroughfares

Marinet Palacio, urban poor group representative speaks.

The participants of the forum and motorcade later converged in Fuente Osmena Park, where a program ensued with various speakers taking turns in calling for the passage of the RH bill and universal access to health care.

VPHCS sustain health program in Sitios St. Mary Grace and Back of Matimco, expand to Barangay Canjulao

2011-09-30T09:11:00.000-07:00

The health programs in Sitio St. Mary Grace, Talamban, Cebu City and Sitio Back of Matimco in Subangdaku, Mandaue City, have been sustained by its people’s organizations and health committees.

The St. Mary Grace Neighborhood Association and the Kaming Lumulupyo Walay Sandigan (KALUWASAN) through their community health workers (CHWs) have continued with their health activities to improve the health and welfare of their residents.

Health class in Sitio St. Mary Grace

Health education classes, health services and information drives have continued to this day. An herbal garden in St. Mary Grace is being cultivated to raise common herbs like lagundi for cough, tanglad, malunggay, and other plants with medicinal values. In Back of Matimco, the health workers have also made an ointment for skin infections from kalachuchi, malunggay and panyawan stems.

Health workers in Sitio Back of Matimco make kalachuchi, kamunggay, panyawan ointment from the plants

Health workers cultivate an herbal garden in Sitio St. Mary Grace

Meanwhile, the VPHCS has also expanded its CBHP endeavors to Barangay Canjulao, Lapu-lapu City recently. Meetings with the leaders of the people’s organization, Anakpawis – Canjulao Chapter, have been held and a community diagnosis survey of the barangay health problems conducted. From the problems identified, a basic health skills training was held on Oct. 27 – 29 to give knowledge and skills to the health workers to address the problems.

Health committee members in Canjulao, Lapu-lapu listen to VPHCS staff member Dr. Petty de Castro (not seen in photo)

The VPHCS has partnered with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Bayan Muna Party-List in its CBHP building programs in urban poor communities in Cebu.

Pasil community health workers continue health program

2011-09-23T17:25:00.000-07:00

Under the leadership of the Pasil Women’s Organization, the community health workers (CHWs) in Sitio Lawis, Pasil, continue to render basic health services to the residents.

A river divides barangays Pasil and Ermita.

The CHWs treat common illnesses such as common colds, fever, stomachache, headache and other complaints with the use of herbal medicines such as lagundi, a bronchodilator and expectorant, water therapy, ventusa, and over-the-counter medications such as paracetamol, antacids, oral rehydration salts, and common antibiotics.

The health committee in Pasil.

With their regular blood pressure monitoring, identified hypertensive patients are advised to take their maintenance medicines and referred to the VPHCS office and the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for further management.

Health information on hypertension and its complications and associated illnesses such as heart diseases and diabetes mellitus is also regularly given.

Meeting of the health committee.

Pasil health committee with Dr. Erlinda Posadas.

A community health worker takes temperature of a child.

A program on the control of tuberculosis which is a common disease in Pasil and other urban poor communities is also underway. The CHWs shall screen residents for TB based on common symptoms such as cough of more than two weeks, afternoon fever, poor appetite and weight loss, and advise them to have sputum examination in the health center for proper management.

Health education on control of hypertension

SHARE – USP nursing assembly held

2011-08-30T15:23:00.000-07:00

A new set of officers was elected in an assembly of the Students for Health, Advocacy, Response and Empowerment (SHARE) – University of Southern Philippines – Foundation (USP) – Nursing College Chapter last August 26.

Elected officers were president, Heloise Dosdos; vice-president, Pearl Templado; secretary, Stanley Noel; treasurer, Franz Jibson; PRO, Maricel Fetiluna and Rubelyn Ursabi. They were sworn into office by VPHCS staff Dr. Erlinda Posadas.

Prior to the election, the members were given an orientation about SHARE by Jethamae Paglinawan, R.N., one of the pioneer members of SHARE, and current SHARE adviser.

SHARE pioneer member and adviser Jethamae Paglinawan speaks on SHARE principles to USP nursing students.

Oath taking of officers of SHARE - USP.

The SHARE is an organization of college students in health and health allied science courses which aims to develop social responsibility among students and harness their initiatives in responding to issues and problems affecting the country’s health care delivery system. Since its founding which was initiated by the VPHCS, the SHARE has provided venues for the students to discuss about current health issues, conducted community integration programs, and brought students to render health services in depressed communities.

Meanwhile, the VPHCS through its staff Dr. Erlinda Posadas also conducted an orientation about community-based health programs to members of the Total Outreach for Community Health (TORCH), a student organization of the Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM) last August 29. Members of the TORCH have for the past years been volunteers of the VPHCS in its various medical and outreach missions and has partnered with the VPHCS in several of its annual operation tuli (circumcision). The students who attended the orientation last August 29 were mostly first and second year medical students who promised to volunteer in future health services of VPHCS.

Dr. Erlinda Posadas (extreme right) gives CBHP orientatioin to TORCH members.

Yokohama National University Students Visit VPHCS

2011-08-30T05:06:00.000-07:00

Graduate students of the Yokohama National University (YNU) in Japan came to know about community-based health programs (CBHPs) in Cebu during their visit with the Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. last August 24, 2011.

Prof. Osamu Koike, YNU Professor (extreme left) and his students. Extreme right is VPHCS staff Dr. Erlinda Posadas with Prof. Cherry Ballescas on her right.

The six students were led by their Professor, Osamu Koike, PhD., Professor of Public Policy and Administration of the International Graduate School of Social Sciences of the YNU. Sun Star Columnist and Prof. Cherry Ballescas of the Regional Center of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (RCE)–Cebu facilitated the visit of the group.

In their visit in the VPHCS office, VPHCS staff members Dr. Erlinda Posadas explained the programs of the VPHCS which work in partnership with people’s organizations in depressed communities in providing basic health services by developing CBHPs based on the principles of primary health care.

The group with two community health workers in Sitio Back of Matimco.

In order to have a better understanding of CBHPs, the group visited Sitio Back of Matimco in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City, where they talked with community health workers (CHWs) who shared how they render basic promotive, preventive and certain curative services in their community. The Japanese students also had an ocular survey of the houses, walked in flooded ground and talked with the residents. The students learned about the difficult situation facing the residents and were inspired about how they have collectively worked, through their organization, the Kaming Lumulupo walay Sandigan (KALUWASAN) to improve their living conditions. Flooding has been a perennial problem in the sitio due to the absence of a drainage system and worsened by the reclamation of a portion of the land.

The group poses in front of the chapel in the sitio.

The group poses with VPHCS staff Cheryl Molina (extreme left), a CHW and two kids.

With three CHWs in front of a housing project being constructed in the sitio.

Walking in flooded ground.

Looking at the communal water project, the source of drinking water in the sitio, which is managed by the people’s organization.

The Japanese visitors had also visited an urban poor community in Metro Manila prior to their visit in Cebu. Their visit in Manila was facilitated by Dr. Jaime Galvez-Tan, RCE member VPHCS Board of Trustees member and UP – Manila Professor.

Solidarity Health and Relief Mission in Negros Oriental

2011-07-25T10:59:00.001-07:00

The Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. (VPHCS) joined other non-government organizations in holding a Solidarity Health and Relief Mission in Brgy Trinidad, Guihulngan Negros Oriental last July 17 – 18, 2011.

A community health worker of the Franciscans Mountain Clinic takes blood pressure of a patient

The mission provided much needed medical, dental, and circumcision services and distributed food and other relief goods to nearly 1,000 farmers and their families residing in the mountain barangays of Trinidad, Kasanday, Takpaw, and Binobohan in Guihulngan.

Dentists from the Cebu Dental Society served more than 90 patients

Dr. Mark Molina attends to a patient

The mission was sponsored by the Negros Island Health Integrated Program (NIHIP), the Franciscans Mountain Clinics, Community Empowerment and Resource Network (CERNET), Center for People’s Resources and Services Inc. (CPRS), Negros Rural Assistance Program, Inc (NRAPI), Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP), and the Filipino American Health Workers Association (FAHWA).

The team from the VPHCS was composed of Drs. Mark Molina and Grace Molina, Lourdes Geolin, Emelie Fernandez, Cheryl Padilla, R.N., Linda de Castro, and Arian Rama, R.N. The Cebu Dental Society sent a team of nine dentists.

VPHCS physician Dr. Mark Molina

The beneficiaries included 90 dental patients, 41 circumcised boys, 561 medical patients, and 210 families given food and relief goods.

The mission was requested by the farmers’ organization in Negros Oriental, the KAUGMAON or Kahugpungan sa mga Gagmayng Mag-uuma sa Oriental Negros in response to the dire lack of medical services in the far-flung barangays of Guihulngan and the prevalence of poverty and malnutrition.

The medical and relief team

4th Pencil for a Cause

2011-07-05T14:46:00.000-07:00

The Students Alliance for Community Health Services (SACHS) based in Tagbilaran City, with staff of the Visayas Primary Health Care Services led by VPHCS Bohol project coordinator Dr. Grace Molina conducted the Fourth Pencil for a Cause Project in Barangay Danao, Municipality of Panglao, Bohol last July 3.

Children line up to receive school supplies

Children waiting for their turn to receive school supplies

More than 200 children of families belonging to the Danao Fisherfolks Association and the Purok 3 and 4 Daurong Anti-Panglao Island Reclamation Project received school supplies solicited by the students.

The activity is a yearly project of the SACHS which was organized by the VPHCS in Bohol. The students organization with members coming from different nursing schools including University of Bohol and Holy Name University in Tagbilaran City has been very active in medical missions and community outreach programs initiated by the VPHCS.

The 16 students also had a group discussion on the adverse effects of the reclamation project in Panglao and visited the affected families.

Before departure back to Tagbilaran City

CBHP project with DSWD

2011-06-12T10:18:00.000-07:00

The VPHCS is soon set to implement a health capability-building project funded by the Bayan Muna Party-List and supported by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in five barangays in Cebu.

The two-year project, “Building community-based health programs (CBHP) 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.

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.

Balay Kahimsog accepts bookings

2011-06-05T20:01:00.000-07:00

The Balay Kahimsog continues to accept bookings for seminars, retreats and other gatherings of government agencies, schools, and non-government organizations at affordable prices.

The building overlooks the Visayan Sea and the magnificent mountains of Bohol.

The Balay Kahimsog is a concrete two-storey building located at the top of the hills of Barangay Cambanac, Baclayon, overlooking the quiet sea on one side and the magnificent mountains on the other side. Surrounded by trees, vegetables and flowers, it is reached by any vehicle about 15 minutes ride through scenic rolling hills from the main highway of Baclayon, about seven kilometers from Tagbilaran City.

The lobby, reading area and stairs to the second floor.

It is a training center for health workers in community-based health programs (CBHPs) in Central Visayas region, and a resource center for primary health care and alternative forms of medicine including herbal medicine.

A spacious open-air conference hall that could accommodate 150 persons occupies the entire second floor. Its first floor has a dormitory that could accommodate twenty persons, an air-conditioned room for two to three persons, an office, a kitchen, a living room and a reading area in the lobby.

The open spacioussecond floor can accommodate up to 150 persons.

To generate income for the programs and services of the CBHPs, the center has been accepting bookings. Proceeds also support medical and dental missions, health skills trainings and alternative medical practices such as herbal medicine preparation, ventusa, acupuncture and homeopathy.

Built primarily from funds generated by the Fil-Am Center for Community Health and Development (FACCHD) in Pleasanton, Califonia, U.S.A, the construction took nearly four years. It started operation in the second quarter 2009 and has since then accepted bookings from different groups.

The hallway now used as dining area.

With its fresh air and magnificent view, it is also a perfect place for just staying over for tranquility, a brief respite from the hustles and bustles of city life.

Interested parties may contact Ms. Linda de Castro, Balay Kahimsog in-charge 09284149483 or e-mail vphcsi@yahoo.com.ph.

Medical mission in Lapu-lapu City

2011-05-26T15:40:00.000-07:00

The Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. joined the Birhen sa Regla Parish in its medical mission last May 24, 2011. The activity consisting of medical and dental services, eye check-up and dispensing of free medicines was part of the church’s Total Human Development Program and a project of the Parish Pastoral Council. It was also held in celebration of the church’s Fourth Anniversary as a National Shrine.

Patients in the church grounds

VPHCS doctors Dr. Mark Molina and Dr. Erlinda Posadas, staff Lourdes Geolin, Lucila Carreon and Emelie Fernandez, and volunteer doctors Dr. Carl Tam and Dr. Larsen Omolon assisted in the mission. They joined other doctors and volunteers in the successful outreach activity of the church.

Dr. Larsen Omolon examines a patient

Dr. Carl Tam with a patient

Dr. Erlinda Posadas with a patient

Dr. Mark Molina attends to a patient

The small pharmacy

Operation Tuli in Sta. Fe, Cebu

2011-05-17T21:37:00.000-07:00

The Visayas Primary Health Care Services joined the Augustinian Missionaries in its Operation Tuli in Kinatarcan Island, Sta. Fe, Cebu last May 14 – 15, 2011.

Boys waiting for their turn

The VPHCS sent a team to provide the free services which benefited more than 30 boys.

Dr. Mark Molina performs the circumcision

Lourdes Geolin renders the service

Cheryl Molina performs the circumcision

The activity was also supported by Ate Elvie Paglinawan Kessler.

A pose after the tuli

Operation tuli in Baclayon

2011-05-06T10:23:00.000-07:00

The Baclayon multi-purpose center, site of the operation tuli

The Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. supported the Muncipality of Baclayon in its annual Operation Tuli (circumcision) last May 4, 2011. For several years now, the VPHCS provided the surgical instruments and sent its staff and volunteer nurses and doctors for the activity. More than 200 boys from different barangays in the municipality benefited from the free operation tuli organized under the leadership of Baclayon Mayor Alvin Jayag Uy.

Boys waiting for their turn

Dr. Eno Tirol (right) with a volunteer nursing student

Dr. Kenneth Ng with a nurse

Nurse Zane Omega with a volunteer nursing student

The VPHCS also provided Arnica, a homeopathic remedy for all the boys to alleviate pain and inflammation. The VPHCS staff members have been practicing homeopathy as taught to them by German homeopath Dr. Norbert Enders of the Solidarity Homeopathie in France.

A nurse gives Arnica, a homeopathic remedy for pain to a boy before the circumcision

VPHCS physician Dr. Erlinda Posadas

VPHCS physician Dr. Mark Molina with nursing students

VPHCS staff Emelie Fernandez and VPHCS Board member Carrie Tharan

Members of the Students Alliance for Community Health Services (SACHS) also assisted in the yearly activity.

VPHCS staff Linda de Castro (right) with a volunteer nursing student

VPHCS staff Lucila Carreon

VPHCS staff nurse Cheryl Molina and VPHCS Board member Carrie Tharan

VPHCS volunteer nurses Edgar Gahisan and Jafe Sepulveda with volunteer nurses

Homeopathic services in urban poor communities in Cebu

2011-04-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

German homeopath Dr. Norbert Enders together with VPHCS staff conducted a homeopathic clinic in Sitio St. Mary Grace in Talamban last Feb. 21 and April 1, and in Sitio Lawis, Barangay Pasil last March 9, 23 and 31 as part of his mission in the Philippines.

VPHCS staff with Dr. Enders, February 15, 2011.

Dr. Enders and Dr. Posadas hold homeopathy clinic in St. Mary Grace, Talamban, Cebu City. Feb. 21, 2011.

Patients wait for check-up by Dr. Enders.

Dr. Enders’ mission is sponsored by the French organization Solidarite Homeopathie in France where he is currently based. Dr. Enders has been teaching the VPHCS staff the practice of homeopathy and treating numerous patients with homeopathy since 2008. His last visit was in October 2010. With the knowledge and skills that he provided and the homeopathic remedies of his organization, the VPHCS staff has been rendering homeopathic services for common illnesses to VPHCS beneficiaries from its partner non-government and community-based people’s organizations.

Dr. Enders has been treating patients together with VPHCS staff as a way of their actual practicum on homeopathy. The staff were thus able to further understand how each patient is being examined and treated, noting his constitutional type, physical, intellectual and emotional traits, symptoms, personality and habits and the way the weather, seasons, times of day and his past experiences affect him.

Dr. Enders check up a child with neck mass.

French homeopath Liliane Delacour from Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo and Veronica Ellis from South Africa who are both Dr. Enders’ colleagues also visited the VPHCS this March and joined the homeopathic clinic in Pasil last March 9.

Dr.Enders treats a patient with rheumatic heart disease.

Dr. Enders with VPHCS staff and residents in Pasil.

Homeopathy is a non-toxic system of medicine used to treat illness and relieve discomfort of a wide variety of health conditions. It is practiced by health care providers including medical physicians, chiropractors, homeopathic physicians, midwives and many others throughout the world.

Founded by German doctor Samuel Hahnemann in the 1790s, homeopathy is the art and the science of healing the sick by using substances capable of causing the same symptoms, syndromes and conditions when administered to healthy people, treating like with like (Similia similibus curentur), aiming to stimulate self-healing processes.

It is a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Homeopathy uses over 2,000 different remedies which are chosen to suit a patient's characteristics, as well as to treat his symptoms.

Information on such remedies has been collected for nearly 200 years. Clinical cases and recent scientific trials using these remedies have been documented.

Medical mission in Panglao

2011-03-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

More than 150 children were medically examined last March 26 by VPHCS staff and volunteer doctors, nurses and nursing students in Barangay Doljo, Panglao, Bohol.

The medical examination of the children included the determination of their weights, heights and visual acuity and check-up of general body systems and dental status. Urinalysis using dipsticks with eight parameters was also done. As a result of the examinations, children with below-normal nutritional status and those with visual, dental, and probable kidney function problems were identified. Those with other illnesses and acute problems were also properly managed.

The medical team included Dr. Larsen Omolon, Dr. Glency Sue Senires, Dr. Grace Molina, Mark Loyola, R.N., Lynsy Linao, R.N., Zane Omega, R.N., Cheryl Lisa Molina, R.N., Lina de Castro, and volunteer students of the Students Alliance for Community Health Services (SACHS).

Partners in the activity included the Nagkahiusang Doljoanon sa Panglao (NAGDOPA), Youth against Reclamation (YARE), barangay council of Doljo, local government unit (LGU) of Panglao, Fil-Am Center for Community Health and Development (FACCHD, U.S.A.), Action Solidarite Tiers Monde (ASTM), and the SACHS.

Nutrition program in Lawis, Pasil

2011-03-27T08:01:00.000-07:00

A nutrition program shall be conducted starting early April for malnourished children in Sitio Lawis, Pasil by the Pasil Women’s Organization (PWO) in coordination with the Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc.

In a meeting conducted by the health committee of the PWO last March 26, the program was deemed necessary in order to address the problem of malnutrition among children.

Marites Siton, PWO president (extreme right) conducts the meeting on a nutrition program

VPHCS staff Dr. Erlinda Posadas who was present during the meeting reviewed on the topic nutrition, discussing about the basic food groups, the different types of malnutrition, and ways on how to address the problem.

CHW Rosalie Beronio talks about malnutrition common in Pasil

The community health workers (CHWs) shall conduct an operation timbang for children less than six years old, identify those who are malnourished, and institute a feeding program using locally available resources.

VPHCS now accredited as NGO by Cebu City government

2011-03-26T07:55:00.000-07:00

The Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. (VPHCS) was recently accredited as a non-government organization by the Cebu City government.

The accreditation was approved by the Cebu City Legislative Council in its weekly session last March 25 in Resolution Number 12 2557 2011 passed. The resolution is soon to be signed by the City secretary, Vice-Mayor Joy Augustus Young and Mayor Michael L. Rama followed by a certificate of accreditation to be issued by the office of City Councilor Sisinio M. Andales.

As an accredited NGO, the VPHCS can better work with the Cebu City Government and its attached agencies in delivering health care services with partner people’s organizations in marginalized communities in Cebu City. Currently, it has community-based health programs in barangays Pasil and Ermita.

ACT continues support for Bohol project

2011-03-24T07:44:00.000-07:00

Further development of the community-based health program in two rural barangays in Bohol is expected to continue this year with the recent approval of the project by the Asian Community Trust (ACT) of Japan.

The ACT committee through its Executive Secretary Mr. Michio Ito informed the VPHCS after a meeting last March 23 of its continued support of the project “Strengthening community-based health programs to promote health and prevent disease in Bohol” in Barangay Sto. Nino in the municipality of San Miguel and Barangay Caluasan, Dagohoy in the municipality of Bohol. There are 25 households (679 population) in Sto. Nino and 402 households (2,132 population) in Caluasan.

Municipalty of San Miguel, Bohol

The project started in April 1, 2010 in partnership with the people’s organizations, Hugpong Mag-uuma sa San Miguel (HUMASA) or the Farmers Association in San Miguel and the Mga Mag-uuma sa Lakalsanda Apektado sa Land Levelling (Farmers in Lakalsanda affected by Land Levelling) in Caluasan. Community health workers (CHWs) were equipped through basic health skills trainings conducted with knowledge and skills to address the health problems in the communities. As a result, they are now leading their respective people’s organizations in conducting health education classes on nutrition and basic home remedies and rendering health services which include operation blood pressure and ventusa.

A community health worker renders ventusa services

Common health problems identified in the community diagnosis in the two barangays last June included respiratory tract infections, influenza, hypertension, diarrhea, muscle pains and fatigue, and common infections that can be prevented and managed through continuing health education and basic health services that can be rendered by the trained CHWs.

The second year of the project starting on April 1 aims to sustain the services of the trained CHWs and health awareness raising and promotion among the residents, institute a family planning program in Caluasan and a nutrition program to address the problem of malnutrition, and mobilize the people’s organizations to link with the rural health units and other agencies that would address their health needs.

Additional four basic health skills trainings and four special skills trainings for the 20 trained CHWs, monthly community health classes, and four medical missions shall be conducted in the second year.

The project aims to reduce the prevalence of preventable and communicable diseases in both barangays. by empowering the people’s organizations to deliver basic health information and services in their communities and to manage and sustain their community-based health programs.

Congressional medical assistance for patients in VSMMC

2011-02-24T08:37:00.000-08:00

The VPHCS has partnered with Congress Party-Lists in providing medical assistance to patients in Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

VSMMC facade.

The Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Alliance of Concerned Teachers, and Anakpawis have provided funds from their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) for patients to avail of in-patient, out-patient and emergency services including medicines, laboratory tests, ECG, X-ray, surgery and other medical, diagnostics, and laboratory procedures.

Separate memorandums of agreement (MOA) were signed last week by the Party-Lists respective congressional representatives, VSMMC medical center chief Dr. Gerardo M. Aquino Jr., and VPHCS executive director Dr. Petty Orbeta de Castro.

After being recommended by the Party-Lists local coordinators, patients needing medical services in VSMMC shall be evaluated by VPHCS medical staff who shall issue a referral letter for VSMMC.

Homeopathy training by Dr. Norbert Enders

2011-02-20T18:29:00.000-08:00

German homeopathic Doctor Norbert Enders is currently in Cebu for continuing tutelage of the VPHCS staff on homeopathy and homeopathic services in depressed urban poor communities in Cebu served by the VPHCS.

Dr. Enders’ mission is sponsored by the French organization Solidarite Homeopathie in France where he is currently based. Dr.Enders has been teaching the VPHCS staff the practice of homeopathy and treating indigent Cebuanos with homeopathy since 2008. His last visit was in October 2010. With the knowledge and skills that he provided and the homeopathic remedies of his organization, the VPHCS staff has been rendering homeopathic services for common illnesses to VPHCS beneficiaries from its partner non-government and community-based people’s organizations.

Last Feb. 14, Dr. Enders started to check up patients in the presence of VPHCS staff as a way of their actual practicum on homeopathy. The staff were thus able to further understand how each patient is being examined and treated, noting his constitutional type, physical, intellectual and emotional traits, symptoms, personality and habits and the way the weather, seasons, times of day and his past experiences affect him.

Homeopathy is a non-toxic system of medicine used to treat illness and relieve discomfort of a wide variety of health conditions. It is practiced by health care providers including medical physicians, chiropractors, homeopathic physicians, midwives and many others throughout the world.

Founded by German doctor Samuel Hahnemann in the 1790s, homeopathy is the art and the science of healing the sick by using substances capable of causing the same symptoms, syndromes and conditions when administered to healthy people, treating like with like (Similia similibus curentur), aiming to stimulate self-healing processes.

It is a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Homeopathy uses over 2,000 different remedies which are chosen to suit a patient's characteristics, as well as to treat his symptoms.

Information on such remedies has been collected for nearly 200 years. Clinical cases and recent scientific trials using these remedies have been documented.

VPHCS partners with DSWD in health project

2011-02-15T20:08:00.000-08:00

The VPHCS has partnered with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in implementing a health capability-building project funded by the Bayan Muna Party-List in five barangays in Cebu.

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.

Medical mission in Bien Unido

2011-02-14T19:23:00.000-08:00

About 175 children were checked up by a team of VPHCS during a medical mission last Feb. 12 in Barangay Nueva Estrella, Municipality of Bien Unido, Bohol.

The medical examination of the children included the determination of their weights, heights and visual acuity and check-up of general body systems and dental status. Urinalysis using dipsticks with eight parameters was also done. As a result of the examinations, children with below-normal nutritional status and those with visual, dental, and probable kidney function problems were identified. Those with other illnesses and acute problems were also properly managed.

Elementary students of Nueva Estrella.

VPHCS staff Jessica Pejo takes the visual acuity.

The medical team included Dr. Lizette Jamora, Dr. Grace Molina, Lina de Castro, Lourdes Geolin, Chester Lagado, R.N. Jessica Pejo, Luz Carreon and volunteer students of the Students Alliance for Community Health Services (SACHS).

A SACHS volunteer nursing student tests visual acuity of the students.

Dr. Lizette Jamora checks up a student.

Partners in the activity included the Nueva Estrella Farmers Association (NEFA), Brgy. Council of Nueva Estrella, municipal government of Bien Unido, Gov. Edgar Chatto, and Task Force Carabao-Germany.

A pose of the mission team.

VPHCS seeks accreditation with Bohol government

2011-02-14T07:02:00.000-08:00

The VPHCS which has established community-based health programs (CBHP) in various communities in different municipalities in Bohol is seeking accreditation as a non-government organization with the Bohol provincial government.

It is now currently working to comply with the documentary requirements for the accreditation.
The accreditation is in line with the Local Government Code (LGC) which provides that people’s organizations (POs) and nongovernmental organization (NGOs) are active partners in the pursuit of local economy, and that local government units (LGUs) may enter into joint ventures and such other cooperative arrangements with POs and NGOs to engage in the delivery of certain basic services, capability-building and livelihood projects, and to develop local enterprises designed to improve productivity and income, diversify agriculture, spur rural industrialization, promote ecological balance, and enhance the economic and social well-being of the people.

With its accreditation, the VPHCS shall more actively pursue its health programs with the support of the Bohol LGUs. It can also avail of assistance , financial or otherwise, for economic, socially-oriented, environmental, or cultural projects, as provided in the LGC.

VPHCS staff talks to scholars on reproductive health

2011-02-13T09:30:00.000-08:00

VPHCS staff members served as resource persons on reproductive health in a two-weekend seminar on reproductive health for college scholars of the Enfants du Mekong (EDM) organization.

The seminars conducted last Feb. 5 and 12 discussed human reproductive system anatomy and physiology, methods of birth control, and sexually transmitted infections. About 40 students joined the seminars conducted by VPHCS staff members Lynsy Linao, R.N., Dr. Erlinda Posadas, and VPHCS volunteers Jethame Paglinawan, R.N. and Chester Lagado, R.N.

The students are all beneficiaries of the scholarship program of the EDM. The EDM is a French non-government organization which helps children and teenagers of poor families to study in order to have a better life, get a job and help their families. The scholars studying first to second year college live in the EDM college center in Banawa while the third and fourth years students stay in boarding houses near their schools. Aside from sending the students to school, EDM programs help them to develop their personality with regular activities and personalized follow-up. The EDM college center in Banawa is managed by French volunteer Elise Dubec and social worker Dorothy Fortuna.

Mekong scholars during the seminar.

EDM was established in 1958 and started in the countries where the Mekong River flows. To date, the scholarship has helped more than 60,000 children in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, China and the Philippines. It has been in the Philippines since 1997 and has helped more than 3,100 children to go to school. In the Visayas, it has 45 scholarship programs in Cebu, Bohol, Negros, Samar, Camotes and Leyte which have benefitted more than 1,500 kindergarten, elementary, high school and college students.

EDM can be reached through its email phcebu@enfantsdumekong.com.

FACCHD members visit VPHCS

2011-02-11T18:30:00.000-08:00

Members of the Fil-am Center for Community Health and Development (FACCHD) based in Pleasanton, California, U.S.A. visited the VPHCS office last February 10.

FACCHD Board of Trustees member Ernie Madriaga and his wife Terry, Bert Cruz and his wife Medy talked with VPHCS staff members and learned about its current programs and services.

FACCHD members Bert Cruz and wife Medy (second row, left), and Ernie Madriaga and wife Terry (second row, right) pose with VPHCS staff on Feb. 10, 2011.

They later visited Sitio Back of Matimco, Barangay Subangdaku in Mandaue City, one of the program sites of VPHCS and got acquainted with its community health workers (CHWs) and its ongoing health programs.

The two couples went to Bohol on February 13 and visited FACCHD Board President Dr. Lilia Hernandez and Pete Mortera in their home in Panglao and then went to Balay Kahimsog, the VPHCS training center in Baclayon. Balay Kahimsog which is primarily funded by the FACCHD through its various fund-raising activities, has been the site of seminars and trainings of different groups since it became fully functional in 2009.

VPHCS joins Bohol government in province’s development plans

2011-02-03T06:05:00.000-08:00

The VPHCS has signified its active participation in the efforts of the provincial government of Bohol in achieving the Bohol's Development Framework for 2010-2013.

Bohol Prosperity Fair on December 10, 2010.

The VPHCS joined other representatives of civil society organizations and government officials in the Bohol Development Initiatives for Prosperity Fair 2010 last December 10.

Dr. Grace Molina, VPHCS Bohol coordinator (in glasses) with other representatives of civil society groups.

The fair witnessed a covenant between civil society and the provincial government to pursue genuine prosperity in Bohol.

The covenant aimed to pursue efforts to attain Bohol's Development Framework for 2010-2013 that emphasizes agenda on health and sanitation, education and technology, agriculture and food security, and tourism and livelihood (HEAT). United in this common aim, the civil society and the provincial government committed towards accountability, consistency, participative development and transparency.

First Health Financing Summit in Cebu held

2011-01-30T09:49:00.000-08:00

More than 120 local government officials, municipal health officers, chiefs of district hospitals, private hospital heads, health maintenance organizations, medical societies representatives, deans of nursing and medical schools, pharmacy owners, health non-government organizations, people’s organizations, pharmacists, and other stakeholders in the health and non-health sectors in Cebu and Bohol attended the First Health Financing Summit in Cebu last January 26, 2011.

The summit entitled “Universal Health Care: The Role of Health Financing in Achieving Universal Health Care” was held at the Cebu Institute of Medicine Amphitheatre from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The activity was sponsored by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) in partnership with the Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc., the University of San Carlos Economics Department, the Sky Cable and the Cebu Alliance of Mass Communications Students.

Speakers included among others, Dr. Bayarsaikhan, Team Leader-HCF, Hon. Stephen Lillie, United Kingdom Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go of the Asian Institute of Management, Former Cebu City Health Officer Dr. Tomas Fernandez, Dr. Alvin Caballes of the University of the Philippines- Manila, Dr. Fidelis Quiza of the Cebu Institute of Medicine, Dr. Leizel Lagrada of the Department of Health- Central Office, Mayor Sonia Lorenzo, San Isidro, Nueva Ecija and Dr. Ramon Paterno of the University of the Philippines – Manila.

Universal Health Care through better health care financing is seen as the constructive alternative to many of the current solutions being undertaken by our Philippine Government when attempting to improve access to health by society at large. It is a response to the need for equitable health care for all Filipinos based on need and not based on ability to pay. Health financing is one of the six building blocks of a health system: governance, health information system, human resources for health, health organization, regulation and health financing.

Medical mission in Hipodromo

2011-01-28T21:41:00.000-08:00

More than 250 patients in the urban poor communities of Hipodromo, Carreta and Lorega were served in a medical mission conducted by members of the Diocese of San Bernardino Filipino Ministry in San Bernardino, California, U.S.A. in Barangay Hipodromo sports complex last Jan. 20.

Six doctors and about 40 lay persons of the ministry headed by Fr. Ben Alforque, M.S.C., who were in a two-week visit in the Philippines rendered medical consultations and counseling services during the mission. Staff of the Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. (VPHCS) including Dr. Erlinda Posadas, Dr. Oliver Gimenez, Dr. Mark Molina, Lynsy Linao, R.N., Cheryl Molina, R.N. , and volunteer nurse Zane Omega joined the medical team.

The Fil-Americans from San Bernardino also rendered medical services in urban poor communities in Bacolod and Iloilo prior to their Cebu trip. They also rendered services in Payatas in Metro Manila after Cebu. The theme of their mission was “Discovering and Re-discovering our Filipino Roots.”

The Ministry also donated medicines to the VPHCS to be used in future medical services for indigents patients in the communities in Cebu and Bohol.

Sustained support from FACCHD

2011-01-18T13:25:00.000-08:00

Early this year, the Fil-Am Center for Community Health and Development, Inc. donated funds as part of its continuing support for the Visayas Primary Health Care Services.

In a visit with the VPHCS staff in January 14, 2011 FACCHD President Dr. Lilia Hernandez presented checks worth $ 15,000 raised by the group based in Pleasanton, California, for the medical services of VPHCS.

FACCHD President Dr. Lilia Hernandez and Pete Mortera turn over checks worth $ 15,000 raised by FACCHD to VPHCS management committee on January 14, 2011.

VPHCS staff pose with Dr. Lilia Hernandez and Pete Mortera (back row).

The services include medical mission endeavors of the VPHCS which involve the physical examination of elementary students in project areas of the VPHCS in Bohol. The physical examination includes the determination of the children’s weights, heights and visual acuity, and check-up of general body systems and dental status. Urinalysis using dipsticks with eight parameters is also done. As a result of the examinations, children with below-normal nutritional status and those with visual, dental, and probable kidney function problems are identified. Those with other illnesses and acute problems can also be properly managed.

VPHCS Doctor Volunteer Dr. Daryl Baquillos checks up a child.

Dr. Petty de Castro examines a dental patient.

Christopher Bio examines urine specimens.

The first of such physical examinations was conducted in March 2009 under the tutelage of Dr. Lilia Hernandez. Public elementary students 6-12 years old in Barangay Panaghiusa, Municipality of Trinidad in Bohol were seen at that time. Since then, a series of physical examinations of elementary students was conducted in 2009 and 2010, in partnership with different people’s organizations in Cebu and Bohol.

VPHCS staff, volunteer doctors, nurses and health students joined in the medical missions. These missions also gave opportunities for community health workers to exercise the knowledge and skills learned during trainings by the VPHCS.

Getting the visual acuity.

Nursing students during a physical examination in Totolan.

Two otoscopes, an instrument for taking the height, Snellen’s charts and two autoclaves donated by the FACCHD are used in such missions.

The areas in Bohol where such physical examination missions shall be conducted in 2011 include the following: Barangay Caluasan in Dagohoy, Sto. Nino in San Miguel, Totolan and Mayacabac in Dauis, and San Isidro and Busao in Maribojoc. The residents in barangays Caluasan and Sto. Nino are mostly farmers and the residents in Totolan and Mayacabac are mostly fishermen. San Isidro and Busao are also fishing communities. The six barangays are currently project areas of the VPHCS. There are active farmers and fisherfolks organizations in the communities.

After every mission, the physical examination findings shall be collated by the VPHCS and recommendations for proper actions shall be drawn and discussed with the people’s organizations.

This year’s donors include Michael and Josie Pometta of The Uncle Mike Foundation, Drs. Jose L. Castro and Vilma Fule, Drs. Bernard and Nitz Cruz, Aida Fusilero and guests at her birthday celebration, and the many generous supporters of FACCHD from Japan, Canada and the United States.

VPHCS joins Nevada Fil-Am group in outreach program in VSMMC

2011-01-17T18:34:00.000-08:00

Members of the Philippine Bisayan Society of Nevada in Las Vegas, Nevada distributed medicines to patients in the pediatrics ward in the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) last January 17, 2011.

This is the third year of the outreach program of the group who came to visit Cebu and joined the Sinulog celebration.

The Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. through its staff member Dr. Erlinda Posadas facilitated the outreach activity by coordinating with the Department of Pediatrics through its Training Officer Dr. Lilibeth Espinosa and Chief Resident Dr. Elmer Lopez. Medicines were bought from the hospital pharmacy and included life-saving antibiotics, intravenous fluids and other essential medicines.

Ms. Marian K. Pearson headed the group whose members hail from different places in the Philippines including Pangasinan, Iloilo and Cebu and have lived in Nevada for several years now.

The group also met with VSMMC Chief of Hospital Dr. Gerardo M. Aquino, Jr.

Community diagnosis of farming communities in Bohol

2011-01-17T16:30:00.000-08:00

A community diagnosis survey of two communities in an ongoing project of the Visayas Primary Health Care Services was recently completed.

The survey was conducted in Barangay Sto. Nino, Municipality of San Miguel and Barangay Caluasan, Municipality of Dagohoy, sites of the ongoing project, “Building Community-based Health Programs to Promote Health and Prevent Disease in Bohol” in partnership with the Asian Community Trust (ACT), Japan's first fund raising-style charitable trust.

The communities have been affected by the failure of the Malinao Dam Project which has worsened their economic situation that in turn affected their health conditions.

The project which started in April 2010 works with the farmers’ organization in Sto. Nino, the Hugpong Mag-uuma sa San Miguel (HUMASA) or the Farmers Association in San Miguel and the farmers’ organization Mga Mag-Uuma sa LACALSANDA Apektado sa Land Levelling (MALALA) (Farmers in Lacalsanda affected by Land Levelling) in Caluasan.

The project centers on capability building of community health workers and leaders of the people’s organizations to launch health programs that answer the health needs of the communities.

The survey gathered data on the socio-demographic profile and health situation including common health problems, causes of deaths, the immunization status and nutritional status of preschoolers, health services available in the community, methods of family planning and nutritional and food practices of the families. Fifty percent of the households were respondents.

Key informant interviews were also conducted among the community leaders in order to complement and deepen the data.

The results of the survey were later discussed among the community leaders and recommendations were drawn that shall be implemented in the second year of the project.

Common health problems identified in the community diagnosis included respiratory tract infections, influenza, hypertension, diarrhea, muscle pains and fatigue, and common infections that can be prevented and managed through continuing health education and basic health services that can be rendered by trained CHWs and project staff.

The survey also recommended a family planning program to be instituted for couples who desire family planning in Caluasan which can be done through information drive regarding different forms of contraception and access of contraceptive commodities.

Malnutrition among children was also identified in both communities which shall be addressed through a nutrition program comprising of health education and information drive on proper nutrition and a feeding program for malnourished children.

Coordination with the rural health units and networking by the people’s organizations with other agencies shall also be done in order to address the problem of the lack of medicines and essential health services in the communities and the existing common practice of home delivery by traditional birth attendants.

The second year of the project shall start in April 2011.

First Health Financing Summit in Cebu

2011-01-17T10:10:00.000-08:00

The Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc., is partnering with the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) to host the First Health Financing Summit in Cebu entitled “Universal Health Care: The Role of Health Financing in Achieving Universal Health Care” on January 26, 2011 at the Cebu Institute of Medicine Amphitheatre from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Universal Health Care through better health care financing is seen as the constructive alternative to many of the current solutions being undertaken by our Philippine Government when attempting to improve access to health by society at large. It is a response to the need for equitable health care for all Filipinos based on need and not based on ability to pay. Health financing is one of the six building blocks of a health system: governance, health information system, human resources for health, health organization, regulation and health financing.

The one-day activity is expected to bring together local government officials, congressmen, government health officials, mayors, municipal health officers, chiefs of district hospitals, private hospital heads, health maintenance organizations, medical societies representatives, deans of nursing and medical schools, pharmacy owners, health non-government organizations, people’s organizations, pharmacists, and other stakeholders in the health and non-health sectors in Cebu and Bohol.

Speakers include among others, Dr. Soe Nyunt-U, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to the Philippines, Hon. Stephen Lillie, United Kingdom Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go of the Asian Institute of Management, Former Cebu City Health Officer Dr. Tomas Fernandez, Dr. Alvin Caballes of the University of the Philippines- Manila, Dr. Fidelis Quiza of the Cebu Institute of Medicine, Dr. Leizel Lagrada of the Department of Health- Central Office, and Mayor Sonia Lorenzo, San Isidro, Nueva Ecija.

VPHCS seeks accreditation as an NGO from the Cebu City Government

2011-01-14T09:55:00.000-08:00

The VPHCS has sought for an accreditation status as a non-government organization (NGO) from the Cebu City Government. It submitted the necessary requirements and application last December to the office of Cebu City Councilor Hon. Sisinio Andales and is expected to be granted accreditation after a resolution to such effect is passed in a City Legislative Council session in January.

As an accredited NGO, the VPHCS can coordinate and work better with the Cebu City Government and avail of financial assistance for its community-based health programs in depressed barangays in the city.

Currently, the VPHCS has partnered with the Pasil Women’s Organization and the Ermita Fisherfolks Association in developing a health program in the two barangays. Health education has been conducted in these communities to raise the residents’ awareness on the prevention and control of common illnesses. Community health workers (CHWs) have also been trained by the VPHCS to render basic home remedies for common complaints.

Project with Asmae ends, programs continue

2011-01-07T16:28:00.000-08:00

After nearly two and a half years, the partnership between the Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. (VPHCS) and the Asmae- Association Soeur Emmanuelle drew to a close in December 2010, bearing fruits that have benefitted the residents of three urban poor communities in Metro Cebu and the VPHCS itself in many indelible ways. The communities include Sitio St. Mary Grace in Talamban, Cebu City, Sitio Back of Matimco in Subangdaku, Mandaue City and Sitio Salvage in Looc, Lapu-lapu City.

Such partnership started in March 2008 with the first six-months phase, “Community diagnosis” of the three communities, followed by the second phase “Promotion of Environmental Health and Child Nutrition” and “Strengthening the Sustainability Aspect of the VPHCS” in April 2009 to December 2009 and the third phase, “Strengthening and Sustaining the Community-based Health Programs” in January 2010 to December 2010.”

In the three communities, health committees are now leading their respective people’s organizations in health services such as basic home remedies, health educations, operation blood pressure, processing and dispensing of lagundi syrup, dengue campaign, nutrition program and cleanliness drives. Monthly health educations on topics such as respiratory tract infections, tuberculosis, hypertension and nutrition have continued to be launched in the communities.

In Sitio Back of Matimco and Sitio Salvage, all health activities are conducted in the health centers that were constructed with funds from the project and labor from the people themselves.

Health education in Back of Matimco

Medical check up of health workers in health center in Looc

Health center in Back of Matimco

Feeding program in Back of Matimco

Common and essential Western medicines are also dispensed and sold with a minimal profit. The residents have welcomed this small pharmacy in the health center that has provided them a very accessible source of essential medicines such as Paracetamol, antacids and amoxicillin. Records of patients and activities are also well kept in cabinets inside the health center.

Twenty-one community health workers (CHWs) from the areas were trained in three basic health skills trainings (BHST) I.

The community kitchen which was started in November 2009 continues to this day in order to sustain the feeding program of malnourished children. Feeding is conducted two times a week. More than 130 children in the three communities have benefitted from the nutritional rehabilitation.

Weighing of children in St. Mary Grace

Nutrition program in St. Mary Grace

In Sitio Back of Matimco, the residents united under their people’s organization, the KALUWASAN, using shovels and pails, carried gravel and land from the reclaimed land and dumped them in between and below their houses and in footpaths and alleys to prevent flooding. Environmental campaign for cleanliness has also been sustained by the youth organized under the D’Visioners Youth Organization collecting the trash and putting them in big garbage drums.

In Sitio Back of Matimco, a communal toilet was also constructed in 2010 inside the health center which is open to the public since the health center is always open. The CHWs take turns in manning the center and ensuring the cleanliness of the toilet.

Another communal toilet was constructed in Purok Yellow Bell in Sitio Salvage in Looc. Residents used to defecate in the seashore beside the purok or simply throw their wastes to the murky waters underneath their houses.

Community toilet in Looc

A great contribution of Asmae to the VPHCS was the fund raising mission it supported which lasted from January to July 2010.

Training on fund raising with Ms. Lani Bayron

A series of three staff development seminars on fund raising was conducted by Ms. Lani Bayron, fund raising specialist contracted by Asmae. The outputs included the following, namely:

• Training needs analysis on fund raising
• Fund raising organizational policies and procedures
• Resource generation plan for 2010
• Assistance on sustainability planning
• Exploration of foreign and local funders
• Marketing plan for Balay Kahimsog
• Knowledge on social enterprise, program marketing and project development and management.
• Participation by the VPHCS executive director in fund raising seminars in March, June 2010 in Manila with Asmae partners
• Prospect of setting up an endowment or buffer fund for VPHCS.

As a result of the mission, the VPHCSI staff members became knowledgeable on fund raising activities and broadened their understanding about fundraising.

The project has ended but its contributions to the welfare of the people in the communities and the organizational capacity of the VPHCS shall always remain.

Sibonga medical mission held

2011-01-05T00:02:00.000-08:00

More than 500 patients from barangays in Carcar and Sibonga were served in a medical mission participated in by the Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. (VPHCS) in Sibonga Simala Sports Centrum last Dec. 19, 2010.

The medical mission was organized by the Southern Partners and Fair Trade Center (SPFTC), Rotary Club of Banilad Metro (RCBM), VPHCS, Fisherfolk Development Center (FIDEC), Municipality of Sibonga, Punchbowl Baptist Church in Sidney, Australia, and Rural Concerns Network.

Patients came from the barangays of Lamacan, Simala, Banlot, Bagakay, Balaas, Catap, and Kadagit in Sibonga and Bolinawan and Napo in Carcar which have farmers’ organizations that have partnered with the SPFTC in its livelihood programs.

Services during the mission included medical consultations, dental services, blood sugar determination, minor surgery, and general check-up of elementary students.

Medicines and other resources were donated by Fair Trade Friends in Japan, the RCBM, Punchbowl Baptist Church, and Perfectly Natural Herbs and Dunkin Donuts.

The medical team was comprised of VPHCS team Dr. Mark Molina, Dr. Erlinda Posadas, Dr. Grace Molina, Dr. Oliver Gimenez and Cheryl Molina, R.N, Cebu Institute of Medicine graduates Dr. Kenneth Yap and Dr. Larsen Omolon, Dr. Joy Villalon, Dr. Roger Fabian, and volunteer nurses and nursing students.

The SPFTC has been undertaking medical missions in the past years to provide basic medical support to its marginalized and deserving community partners serving 600 to 1,300 individuals in each undertaking.

Gabriela holds forum for RH Bill | The Freeman >> The Freeman Sections >> Cebu News

2010-12-07T18:36:00.000-08:00

Gabriela holds forum for RH Bill | The Freeman >> The Freeman Sections >> Cebu News

Yo ! Lead Project: End of Project Document and End Line Survey Published

2010-11-25T19:39:00.000-08:00

Two published documents marked the end of the project Yo! Lead or Youth on the Lead.”

Started in July 2006 and ended on June 2010, the Yo!Lead or Youth on the Lead is a leadership program of the VPHCS for youth–initiated adolescent reproductive health advocacy and services in the provinces of Cebu, Bohol and Occidental Negros, Philippines that aims to promote increased practice of healthy reproductive and sexual health (RSH) behaviors among the youth.

It was funded by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA- International).

The end of project document (EOPD) entitled, “Yo! Lead: Youth on the Lead, A Leadership Program for Youth-initiated Reproductive Health Advocacy and Services in the Philippines” is a 40-page book that synthesizes the highlights of the project. It also includes a summary of the sexual and reproductive health initiatives of 22 community-based youth organizations and seven school-based youth organizations in selected schools and communities in the three provinces with which the project worked. Best practices of four organizations and the Youth for Rights Network (Y4R) are also featured in the book. Various literary contributions are also included.

The second document is an end line reproductive health survey among the community-based and school-based partner youth organizations.

The end line survey was a follow-up of the baseline study conducted at the start of the project in July 2006 – October 2006. The baseline study was conducted to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs regarding RH and their sexual and RH problems. The results of the study were then used as the basis to come up with youth-friendly projects that truly responded to their needs and concerns which the project implemented with the youth organizations.

The end line survey was conducted before the project ended in June 2010 among the members of the same 19 organizations which participated in the project at its start. Although respondents may be different from those who participated in the baseline survey, it was expected that because of the inputs of the project and the participation of the organizations in its implementation, the desired goal of increased practice of healthy reproductive and sexual health (RSH) behaviors among the youth would redound to their new members until the fourth year.

Thus, the end line survey measured the effectiveness of the project and noted that there was an improvement of the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors regarding RH and corrected mistaken beliefs and unhealthy practices among the youth.

After four years, the project has more than a hundred trained youth leaders and peer educators from schools and communities in the three provinces who are knowledgeable on SRH issues, effective communication, project management, and leadership development.

Nursing students donate school supplies

2010-11-22T19:35:00.000-08:00

Students organized under the Students Alliance for Community Health Services (SACHS) based in Tagbilaran City recently held its Third Pencil for a Cause Project in its adopted barangay, Caluasan in the municipality of Dagohoy, Bohol.

Some 30 students of different nursing colleges in Tagbilaran City distributed school supplies last Oct. 30, 2010 to more than 200 children of families who are members of the Hugpong Mag-uuma sa San Miguel (HUMASA) (Farmers’ Association in San Miguel, Bohol) and the Mga Mag-uuma sa Lakalsanda Apektado sa Land Levelling (MALALA) (Farmers in Lakalsanda Affected by Land Levelling).

The yearly community outreach activity of the SACHS was held during the general assembly of the MALALA in the barangay hall of Caluasan. Barangay Captain Rey Luchana also shared an update of his recent trip to Japan regarding the ongoing opposition of the farmers’ organizations of the Malinao Dam Project that has worsened their economic situations.

Members of the SACHS have always served as volunteers and partners of the VPHCS in its various community outreach programs and medical missions in its community-based health programs areas.

Barangay Caluasan in Dagohoy and Barangay Sto. Nino in San Miguel are current project areas of the VPHCS in partnership with the Asian Community Trust (ACT) based in Japan.

‘Free the 43’ - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

2010-11-08T16:53:00.000-08:00

President Benigno Aquino III is concerned over the detention for the past 15 years of Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma, a democracy icon like his late mother, former President Corazon C. Aquino. Last Oct. 28, while attending the Asean Summit in Hanoi, he urged Burma’s Prime Minister Thein Sein to free Suu Kyi, but predictably, the latter made no clear commitment.

But while Mr. Aquino seems to be passionate in working for the release of Suu Kyi, he does not seem to be very concerned about the detention for the past nine months by government forces of 43 health workers, the so-called “Morong 43.” Last Oct. 14 Mr. Aquino said the case of the 43 detainees would have to be decided by the court that is trying them for illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

The President has ordered a review of the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the health workers. The confiscation of guns and explosives from the Morong resort where they were staying showed that the evidence had been obtained through irregular means. He said that “it is a generally accepted principle that that what the lawyers call the fruit of the poisoned tree, [or] evidence wrongly gotten cannot be used.”

The Morong 43, their families and supporters have said that they were attending a training seminar on how to provide health services to poor communities when arrested. Their families said the detained workers were subjected to “psychological torture” by the military.

click here to read the full article

VPHCS seeks accreditation from DSWD

2010-10-13T23:11:00.000-07:00

A representative of the Standards Bureau of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Central Office recently visited the Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc.

Mr. Hernan Z. Perez met with the management committee and staff of the VPHCS last September 23 – 24 as part of the accreditation process of the VPHCS with the DSWD.

The accreditation process follows DSWD Administrative Order No. 1 7 series of 2008 “Rules and Regulations on the Registration and Licensing of Social Welfare and Development Agencies and Accreditation of Social Welfare and Development Programs and Services” which regulates and enforces social welfare and development standards to both public and private organizations in the country that engage in social welfare and development activities.

The VPHCS was given by the DSWD a Certificate of Registration and License to Operate as a social welfare and development agency (SWDA) on June 28, 2010. This means that the VPHCS is officially recognized by the DSWD as a SWA within the purview of social welfare and development and has a legal permit to operate as such.

Accreditation would mean that its programs and services have met the minimum standards set by the government

Being a registered and licensed SWA, the VPHCS is now included in the DSWD's Registry of Registered, Licensed and/or Accredited Social Welfare SWDAs, will receive technical assistance from the DSWD on programs and services implementation; can participate in DSWD's capability building and skills enhancement; can receive endorsement for duty free entry of foreign donations; and receive other benefits and privileges that may be provided from time to time.

After being accredited, the VPHCS shall also enjoy additional benefits including, for level 1 of accreditation, publication of VPHCS good practices and success stories in the DSWD publications and posting on the DSWD website; and endorsement of project proposals; level 2, paper presentation abroad, depending on available opportunities; and nomination for travel local and abroad to participate in relevant training/conferences as part of the Philippine delegation; and level 3, plaque of recognition and cash incentive; recognition a model SWDA and laboratory for trainings and research; and authority to undertake training on their expertise and to charge corresponding fees.

Mr. Perez went through the documents submitted by the VPHCS in its application for accreditation, including the VPHCS manual of operations, profile of employees, profile of the governing board, profile of clients, latest narrative reports and financial statements, and work and financial plan.

He also visited Sitio Back of Matimco, Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City, one of the project sites of the VPHCS, where he talked with community health workers and leaders of the people’s organization who are working with the VPHCS in its existing community-based health program.

Mr. Perez made several recommendations to improve the operations of the VPHCS which were welcomed by the management committee. An action plan was later signed by Mr. Perez and Petty Orbeta de Castro, VPHCS executive director signifying the intention of the VPHCS to comply with the said recommendations in order for its accreditation to be granted.

* certificate shall be granted based on the expiration date of the issued accreditation

* certificate. The accredited SWDAs shall receive the following additional benefits

* depending on the level of compliance to set standards:

c.l.
Level 1 of Accreditation
i. Documentation of good practices and success stories shall be featured in
DSWD annual report and Social Welfare and Development Journals as well
as posting on the DSWD website;
ii. Endorsement of project proposals; and
iii.Other
benefits and privileges may be provided from time to time as deemed
appropriate by the Department.

c.2. Level 2 of Accreditation
i.
Paper presentation abroad, depending on available opportunities; and
ii. Nomination
for travel local and abroad to participate In relevant
training/conferences as part of the Philippine delegation.
c.3. Level 3 of Accreditation
i.
Plaque of recognition and cash incentive;
ii. Recognized as a model SWDA and laboratory for trainings and research;
iii.Authority to undertake training on their expertise and charge corresponding
fees; and
iv.Recommendation
for a seat on appropriate councils in areas where expertise
is required.

VPHCS joins dengue campaign

2010-10-11T05:33:00.000-07:00

The VPHCS has joined hands with government agencies, local government agencies and civil society groups to stop the dengue outbreak in Cebu.

With people’s organizations in various urban poor communities where dengue cases have been reported or the population is vulnerable, the VPHCS is conducting health awareness drives on the cause of the dreaded viral disease and its signs and symptoms, and cleanliness drives to rid of mosquito breeding places.

On Sept. 18, VPHCS physician Dr. Erlinda Posadas and Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM) student Serah Allera discussed about dengue fever among the residents of Sitio Mahayahay, Barangay Pasil. A resident also shared how her three children recently were admitted with the disease. Residents are now intensifying their cleanliness drives.

Dr.Erlinda Posadas with Pasil residents

CIM student Serah Allera talks about dengue with Pasil residents

On Sept. 24, University of Southern Philippines (USP) nursing instructor Zane Omega and two nurse volunteers of VPHCS conducted a health education class with residents of Sitio Cahipa, Barangay Hipodromo. The activity was organized by the Nagkahiusang Lumolupyo sa Cahipa ug Bakante or NALCABA, the local people’s organization. Nearly 50 residents joined the activity.

USP nursing instructor talk about dengue in Hipodromo

Two nurses talk about the 4 S's in dengue

Hipodromo residents listen about dengue

Another dengue information drive was conducted in Sitio Back of Matimco in Subangdaku, Mandaue City on October 4.

Posters and leaflets from the Department of Health –Regional Office were distributed by the VPHCS in various urban poor communities.

Dengue campaign in Sitio Back of Matimco

The VPHCS is also working with community health workers (CHW) and leaders of its partner people’s organizations in order to sustain the information drives and cleanliness campaigns in their communities.

The VPHCS is also set to conduct blood typing services among residents of dengue-prone communities in order to come up with a list of blood donors in emergency cases.

Pasil residents listen about dengue fever

Discussion on sexuality for USC students

2010-10-08T23:58:00.000-07:00

VPHCS staff members Ms. Cheryl Lisa Padilla – Molina, R.N., Dr. Mark Molina, Lynsy Linao, R.N., and VPHCS volunteer nurse Ms. Jethamae Paglinawan recently gave a talk on sexuality among students of the University of San Carlos – Talamban Campus (USC-TC).

The students are all scholars of the Passerelles Numeriques studying Cebu Systems and Networks Administration (CSNA) in the USC-TC under the Computer Engineering Department. Passerelles Numeriques (PN) is a French non-government organization that provides Information Technology (IT) scholarship to underprivileged students from Visayas and some parts of Mindanao. There are presently 69 students enrolled in the first semester this schoolyear.

The information discussion on sexuality was held as part of the students’ developmental activity. The first was held for 25 second year students last September 25 and the second for 45 first year students last October 2. Topics covered included anatomy and physiology of the reproductive system, contraceptive methods and sexually transmitted diseases.

The Passerelles Numeriques (PN) was born in 2005 to help disadvantaged students to create a better future for themselves and their families by educating and training on Information Technology. It started its three year pilot training in Cebu City on June 2009 in partnership with the USC. The students are housed in a lodging center in Talamban near the school.

Health alliance assembly held

2010-10-06T04:04:00.000-07:00

The second general assembly of a Bohol-based health alliance was held last Friday, Sept. 30, 2010 in Tagbilaran City in order to advance the health conditions of the Boholanos.

The Alyansa sa Katawhan alang sa Maayong Panglawas (KAHIMSOG) is composed of people’s organizations in the grassroots, community health workers (CHWs), nurses, doctors and other health professionals, nursing students, non-government organizations and government agencies and other health advocates. It shall work to improve the health conditions in the province.

The assembly theme was: Iasdang ang katungod ug kaayuhan sa katawhan ug mga mamumuo sa panglawas para sa kahimsog. It was held at the conference room of the JJ’s Mandarin, Dimsum.

The assembly was graced by Bohol Provincial Board Member Chairman of the Committee on Health Dr. Ceasar Tomas “Yul” Lopez who expressed the government’s support to work with the Kahimsog, Ms. Angelita Maleriado, Provincial Health Office Public Health Nurse, Ms. Conchi Manhilot, Clinical Instructor-University of Bohol, Dr. Rosendo Lopez III, Head Dental Department in the Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital, Sr. Gloria and Fr. Desiderio Magdoza of Rural Missionaries of the Phil. (RMP).

Leaders of the Hugpong sa mga Mag-uuma sa Bohol (HUMABOL) represented by William Boybanting and Danilo Olayvar, Paula Destor of Bol-anong Kahugpungan sa mga Kabus nga Nangisda (BOKKANA), Linda Salo (Sandigan sa mga Bol-anong Kababayen-an nga Nag-uma ug Nanagat (SABAKAN),and community health workers of people’s organizations, nurses, nursing students, also attended the activity.

Dr. Erlinda Posadas of the VPHCS talked on the national health situation.

Dr. Erlinda Posadas and Ms. Lynsy Linao, staff members of the Visayas Primary Health Care Services (VPHCS) discussed the rationale of the reactivation of Kahimsog by discussing the health conditions of the Filipino people, the People’s Health Agenda presented by national progressive health groups to the Aquino government, and the community-based health programs as an alternative health care system.

The Kahimsog was formed in 1998. Among its achievements included the establishment of a health referral system of poor patients to health workers, medical missions in depressed communities, lobbying to increase the health budget in the LGUs and to make ambulance service free of charge, support to the campaign of the health professionals against the Medical Malpractice bill which was later shelved by Congress, and primary health care campaigns in marginalized communities.

Officers of the Kahimsog were elected by the body in the assembly. They are the following, namely:

Chairperson.............Olympia Maldos (P.O.)
Vice Chairperson........Peter John Filiseo (R.N.)
Sec. Gen. ..............Luz Yana (CHW)
Rep. Students..........Grace Dahan
Health Professionals....Dr. Rosendo Lopez III and Dr. Doloreich Dumaluan

CHW’s
D1..... Gardenia Pono
D2..... Vilma Fuentes
D3..... Shirley Butlig

P.O
Humabol..... Danilo Olayvar
Sabakan..... Linda Salo
Bokkana..... Paula Destor

Yo! Lead project report published

2010-10-04T23:35:00.000-07:00

After four years, the project has more than a hundred trained youth leaders and peer educators from schools and communities in the three provinces who are knowledgeable on SRH issues, effective communication, project management, and leadership development.

The end of project document of the Yo! Lead project has been published.

The Yo!Lead or Youth on the Lead” is a leadership program of the VPHCS for youth–initiated adolescent reproductive health advocacy and services in the provinces of Cebu, Bohol and Occidental Negros, Philippines that aims to promote increased practice of healthy reproductive and sexual health (RSH) behaviors among the youth.

It is funded by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA- International).

The 40-page book synthesizes the highlights of the project which started in July 2006 and ended in June 2010. It also includes a summary of the sexual and reproductive health initiatives of 22 community-based youth organizations and seven school-based youth organizations in selected schools and communities in the three provinces with which the project worked. Best practices of four organizations and the Youth for Rights Network (Y4R) are also featured in the book. Various literary contributions are also included.

Harnessing their leadership and initiatives, the Yo! Lead project provided funds for the organizations to design and implement projects that increased the awareness and practice of healthy SRH behaviors and reproductive rights and increased access to, and utilization of rights-based SRH services among the youth in their localities. The project also provided static clinic and mobile health services and contraceptive commodities.

After four years, the project has more than a hundred trained youth leaders and peer educators from schools and communities in the three provinces who are knowledgeable on SRH issues, effective communication, project management, and leadership development. The project has reached out to more than 17,000 youth members through various worthwhile activities and experiences including needs assessments, focused group discussions, trainings on leadership and reproductive health, youth camps, peer educators’ trainings and other educational gatherings. All youth organizations have tremendously enhanced the awareness and practice of safe sexual and reproductive health behaviors, promoted reproductive rights, and increased access to and utilization of rights-based SRH services among their youth populace.

The project has proven that the youth themselves must be empowered to recognize and act upon their needs in order to sustain successful youth SRH programs. The project has also proven that such programs can work much better when the youth leaders receive inputs on technical concerns and leadership and are supported by a network of services and support from other stakeholders in the communities that meet their needs.

The Yo! Lead is truly a project developed and owned by the Visayan youth that responds to their very own issues and concerns.

At least P 90 Billion needed for Public Health System to Provide Services to the Poor – Health Groups

2010-10-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Is this proposed budget just a dream? A study conducted by health groups HEAD and AHW revealed that there are enough sources to fund a P90 billion ($$2.037 billion) health budget, if the Aquino government has the political will to do so.

By MARYA SALAMAT
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — “In the face of dengue cases doubling this year (compared to last year), the health department’s budget for dengue and other communicable diseases did not increase,” said Dr. Gene Nisperos, vice-president of Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD). In fact, the Aquino government’s proposed budget for health in 2011 is so “very little and inadequate,” it “decreases the allotment for public hospitals and subsidy for indigent patients’ hospitalization,” said Emma S. Manuel, national president of the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW).

“Expect the health services to worsen further in government hospitals,” the two health leaders warned, if Aquino’s proposed budget for health is not increased by Congress.

In hopes of arresting this downward trend in government prioritization of public health, AHW and HEAD have embarked on another campaign this year to prod Congress to increase the health department’s proposed 2011 budget, from the P32.028 billion ($724.9 million) it submitted to P90 billion ($2.037 billion).

The two health groups asked the Aquino government to walk the talk in prioritizing social services and instituting change or reforms.

This week the AHW and HEAD attended the congressional budget hearing to explain to legislators why the country needs “at least P90 billion for starters” to ensure that the public health care system “can address the most urgent health needs of the people.”

As early as last July, these health groups have been seeking an audience with President Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino to discuss their doable proposals for improving the country’s health care. Unfortunately, they said, Aquino has so far failed to allot time for them.

AHW and HEAD said they have had a dialogue with Health Secretary Dr. Enrique Ona last July. Ona reportedly told them he believed the health department needed at least P60 billion ($1.358 billion) for next year. But the two health groups were disappointed to learn that the DOH has proposed only a “minuscule” P32.028-billion ($724.9 million).

In a press conference held last week, HEAD itemized why they came up with a minimum of P90 billion ($2.037 billion) proposed budget for health for 2011. The AHW and HEAD made it clear that only this amount, or more if possible, could indicate that Aquino is indeed serious in introducing change or reforms and treating the people as his “boss.”

The needed P90 billion ($2.037) health budget, they said, is not yet the ideal amount that could already spell change. But it will help the country’s public health care system to function without depending too much on pork barrel, squeezing its predominantly poor patients, or taking in profit-driven investors, said Nisperos.

The World Health Organization’s recommended health budget is at least five-percent of the country’s gross national product, or around P440 billion ($9.959 billion) for the Philippines.

Scary Plight of Philippine Public Hospitals

The current scenario in the country’s remaining 55 publicly-owned hospitals is such that with this year’s spike in dengue cases, for instance, two patients have to share one bed, said Emma Manuel of AHW. A child ill with dengue can still die while waiting in line in hospitals because of the lack in facilities and personnel, added Manuel.

She recalled a child with dengue who had a very low 40 platelet count when first brought at a government hospital’s emergency room. When he was finally admitted hours later, his platelet count had dwindled to a dangerously low 12.

“It is not the fault of health workers,” stressed Manuel. With so few of them compared to the number of patients, they also had to deal with scarce equipment, medicines and supplies. Thus, they could not attend to patients fast enough.

Dr. Eric Tayag, head of the health department’s epidemiology center, apologized to the public Wednesday as the so-called Dengue express-lanes in public hospitals have turned out to be “bagal (snail-paced) lanes,” due to lack of facilities, supplies and personnel.

Nisperos slammed the sorry fact that many public hospitals lack many basic equipment and supplies such as incubators, hospital beds, reagents and medicines. How much more, Nisperos said, when it comes to advanced medical equipment?

Worse, Nisperos said the present ratio today of nurses to patient and doctors to patients are very far removed from the World Health Organization’s prescriptions.

In the Philippines, a top exporter of nurses and other health professionals, nurses handle a ward of not just 15 patients, but three times that in public hospitals. A doctor for every 400 is deemed as healthy enough, but in the Philippines there is only one doctor for every 28,000 people, said Nisperos.

Even if nurses and doctors want to work in public hospitals, said Nisperos, there is no budget for additional plantilla positions for them. This results in perennially understaffed and overworked nurses and doctors in public hospitals, said Manuel.

The shortage in many emergency life-saving equipment and medicines in public hospitals, coupled with the fact that Filipinos now have to pay for a lot of things first (from laboratory fees to hospital supplies) before their illnesses can be diagnosed and treated, have been turning off many poor patients, said Manuel. The unfortunate result is either the patients go to public hospitals only when their illnesses have gotten too worse to treat, or they just die without medical care.

“No Filipino should be deprived of health services because he/she has no money. No Filipino should succumb to disease simply because there is no healthcare facility nearby. Women should not die of something so natural as pregnancy and child-delivery,” said Nisperos.

Dr. Gene Nisperos of the Health Alliance for Democracy says that the country needs a health budget of at least PhP90 billion. (Photo by Marya Salamat / bulatlat.com)
But based on the Aquino government’s proposed budget for health next year, the dire situation of scarce hospital facilities, supplies and personnel threaten to even get worse.

The budget for the 55 government hospitals nationwide would be slashed by P363.7million ($8.2 million), while the budget for other government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) hospitals would be trimmed of P970.6 million ($21 million), lamented the AHW. These GOCC hospitals include the Lung Center of the Philippines, National Kidney & Transplant Institute, the Philippine Children’s Medical Center and Philippine Heart Center.

Required PhP90-B Health Budget in 2011 Realistic

Compared to the 2010 budget, Aquino’s 2011 budget has decreased much of the funds for basic services, said Nisperos.

Aquino’s national budget “stresses more the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines through increased budget for recruitment of additional soldiers, CAFGU, intelligence and arms procurement,” the AHW said in a statement. The health group warned that this could only “worsen militarization, counter-insurgency operations and result in more human rights violations and repression of the people.”

“The 2011 budget gives priority to defense as the third highest, with an 81 percent increase, and to debt payment (which is already almost a fourth of the entire national budget),” said Manuel. She calls it “ironic” because President Aquino often claims that providing social service is the priority of his administration and that his administration’s proposed budget is a “reform budget.”

Instead of Aquino’s P32.028-billion ($724.9 million) budget for health, the two health groups dared the Aquino administration to put money where its mouth is. “A P90 billion budget makes it feasible to work for immediate remedies to the most pressing health problems, while paving the way for more long-term solutions.”

The proposed PhP90-B health budget. (Prepared by HEAD and AHW)

The current major areas of health concern in the country are the focus of the P90 billion ($2.037 billion) health budget, as opposed to the minuscule P32.028 billion ($724.9 million) initially proposed by the health department, said the HEAD. The Philippines is in dire need of a P90 billion ($2.037 billion) budget to address the “lack of healthcare services, loss of health personnel and the need to focus on preventive aside from curative care.” The government also has to confront “chronic health problems such as high maternal deaths, prevalence and recurrence of infectious diseases and high prices of drugs.”

Is this proposed budget just a dream? A study conducted by HEAD revealed that there are enough sources to fund this alternative budget. The political will on the part of the government is what is needed, said Nisperos.

Aside from reallocating existing funds, HEAD suggests looking into trimming the P80 billion ($1.8 billion) increase in debt payments. There is also an estimated P170 billion ($3.8 billion) that could be made available if the government eliminates corruption. There are billions more of unpaid corporate taxes that the government needs only to muster the political will to collect, said Nisperos.

Saying if there is a will there is a way, Nisperos explained that the P90 billion ($2.037) health budget “is meant to ensure that the right to health is guaranteed and fulfilled by the Aquino government.” Toward ensuring this right, Nisperos said, their proposed health budget “challenges the current policy of healthcare privatization and the corporatization of government hospitals.”

Click here to view the original source.

ACT program officer visit in Bohol

2010-09-14T19:50:00.000-07:00

Program Officer Megumi Nishijima recently visited Bohol in order to gain first-hand experience of the progress of its project being implemented in partnership with the Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc.

Ms. Nishijima visited Barangay Sto. Nino in the Municipality of San Miguel and Barangay Caluasan in the Municipality of Dagohoy last Sept. 6-7 in line with the ongoing project “Building community-based health programs to promote health and prevent disease in Bohol.”

Ms. Nishijima talked with leaders of the farmers’ organization in Sto. Nino, the Hugpong Mag-uuma sa San Miguel (HUMASA) or the Farmers Association in San Miguel and the farmers’ organization Mga Mag-Uuma sa LACALSANDA Apektado sa Land Levelling (MALALA) (Farmers in Lacalsanda affected by Land levelling) in Caluasan.

The farmers shared with her how their communities have been adversely affected by the failure of the Malinao Dam Project which has worsened their economic situation that in turn affected their health conditions.

Ms. Nishijima also visited San Miguel Municipal Vice-Mayor Jonathan Reyes, Dagohoy Municipal Mayor Hermie Relampagos and Dagohoy Municipal Health Officer Dr. Hermogenes Ricafort.

Ms. Nishijima also visited Sitio Back of Matimco, Subangdaku,Mandaue on Sept. 8. The urban poor community has an ongoing community-based health program (CBHP) developed by its residents’ organization KALUWASAN and the VPHCS. Members of the health committee shared their health activities and experiences with Ms. Nishijima.

Proposed budget shows diminishing priority for health

2010-09-01T20:11:00.000-07:00

Lifted from IBON Foundation's website. Click to see the original source.

Contrary to the Aquino government’s target of expanding the coverage of healthcare for all, the proposed national budget for 2011 has allotted a decreased budget for public hospitals and subsidy for indigents, according to research group IBON.

The 2010 budget item “Premium Subsidy for Indigents under the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP)” of Php5.17 billion falls to zero in 2011. If this has been transferred to the 2011 budget item “Subsidy for Health Insurance Premium of Indigent Families including for Informal Sector Enrolled in the National Health Insurance Program” which only increases by Php3.5 billion, then this implies that subsidies for indigents under the NHIP actually falls by Php1.67 billion.

Budget allocation for 55 public hospitals nationwide also falls by Php363.7 million – from Php5.2 billion in 2010 to Php4.8 billion in 2011. Moreover the budget for specialty hospitals (i.e. Lung Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, Philippine Heart Center and Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care) falls by Php970.6 million.

At the same time the subsidy to indigent patients for confinement or use of specialized equipment falls by Php20 million – or more than half – from Php36 million in 2010 to Php16 million in 2011. Budget for 12 major public hospitals (i.e. Jose Reyes Memorial, Rizal Medical, East Avenue Medical, Quirino Memorial, Tondo Medical, Jose Fabella Memorial, National Children’s Hospital, National Center for Mental Health, Philippine Orthopedic, San Lazaro, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and Amang Rodriguez Medical) falls by Php4 million.

However, amid the falling budgets for public hospitals, IBON notes that military hospitals have increased allocations in the proposed budget. For instance, the budget of the AFP Medical Center increases by Php168 million, from Php923.5 million (2010) to Php1.091 billion (2011), while that of Veterans Memorial Medical Center increases by Php130.7 million.

One of the Aquino governments supposed priority projects is to give ordinary citizens, especially the poor and elderly, access to quality professional healthcare. However falling government spending on health, especially for those who cannot afford to pay for healthcare and rely on subsidized government services, show a continuing pattern of government's neglect of the public health sector. (end)

Building Community-based Health Programs to Promote Health and Prevent Disease in Bohol

2010-08-30T20:27:00.000-07:00

The Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. (VPHCS), with the support of the Asian Community Trust (ACT) has been implementing a project “Building community-based health programs to promote health and prevent disease in Bohol.”

The project areas are Barangay Sto. Nino in the Municipality of San Miguel and Barangay Caluasan in the Municipality of Dagohoy in Bohol. The communities have been affected by the failure of the Malinao Dam Project which has worsened their economic situation that in turn affected their health conditions.

The project which started in April 2010 works with the farmers’ organization in Sto. Nino, the Hugpong Mag-uuma sa San Miguel (HUMASA) or the Farmers Association in San Miguel and the farmers’ organization Mga Mag-Uuma sa LACALSANDA Apektado sa Land Levelling (MALALA) (Farmers in Lacalsanda affected by Land levelling) in Caluasan.

A basic health skills training was conducted last August 9 – 14 for community health workers (CHWs) in order to equip them with knowledge and skills to build community based health programs which shall address the common health problems in their communities.

Capacity building is a primary strategy in the project which will enable the CHWs and the leaders of the people’s organizations to launch health campaigns that will address the prevalence of common preventable and communicable diseases. Direct health services by project staff and volunteer health professionals shall also address the diseases in the communities.

The Asian Community Trust (ACT), Japan's first fund raising-style charitable trust, was established in 1979 to assist people at the grass-roots level in Asian developing countries. It has supported projects in more than five Asian countries, in fields spanning health, medical treatment, education, youth training, and development of rural communities. It has funded several projects in urban poor settlers and fishermen communities in Cebu.

Health programs that answer the health needs of the communities shall be instituted in the project by the trained CHWs together with the leaders and members of their people’s organizations. Community participation and involvement in designing the health programs appropriate for the communities shall be ensured as it is a hallmark in community-based health programs and is the cornerstone in the primary health care approach of health service delivery.

The health programs are based on results of surveys and key informant interviews that gathered data on the socio-demographic profile and health data including common health problems, causes of deaths, the immunization status and nutritional status of preschoolers, health services available in the community, methods of family planning and nutritional and food practices of the families.

Medical mission in Totolan, Dauis, Bohol

2010-08-10T23:42:00.000-07:00

Nearly 100 children were rendered health services in a medical mission organized by the Visayas Primary Health Care Services (VPHCS) and the Nagkahiusang Mangigisda sa Totolan (NAMATO) (United Fisherfolks in Totolan) in Dauis, Bohol last July 24, 2010.

Volunteers Dr. Jose Edgar Alonso, Dr. Aira Baroro, five nurse members of the Students Alliance for Community Health Services (SACHS) in Tagbilaran City, a nursing graduate of the Cebu Doctors University Hospital and staff of the VPHCS led by Dr. Petty Orbeta-de Castro and Dr. Grace Molina rendered the services which included visual acuity, height and weight determination, urinalysis, dental check-up and medical check-up.

Totolan is a fishing community located in Dauis. It is one of the community-based health program (CBHP) areas of the VPHCS in a continuing project supported by the Action Solidarite Tiers Monde. It has a population of 3,626 or 330 households.

The PEOPLE’S HEALTH AGENDA

2010-08-10T23:17:00.000-07:00

Health is a right that continues to be denied of Filipinos. Addressing the worsening state of the people’s health is one of the biggest challenges facing the Aquino administration.

The Filipinos continue to suffer from dismal health situation amidst projection from the past Arroyo administration of improved health outcomes. Infectious and preventable diseases continue to top causes of mortality and morbidity. Malnutrition and diseases of poverty like tuberculosis plague poor communities. Needless deaths of pregnant women remain high at 170 per 100,000 live births.

The inadequacy and inaccessibility of public health services is worsening. Seventy percent of Filipinos cannot afford to buy their medicines, even with the passage of the Universal Cheaper Medicine Law and the lowering of prices of medications through the Maximum Drug Retail Price (MDRP). Public hospitals have been charging for every supply, laboratory and diagnostic procedures that used to be free. Privatization of public hospitals has made health services more expensive.

Doctors, nurses and other health care providers are witnesses to the hardships of Filipino patients in the hospitals and the communities. Poor patients whose welfare should be prioritized by the government are drained of hard-earned income whenever they get sick or hospitalized. Many patients delay consulting with health personnel because they cannot afford the high cost of hospitalization and medicines.

Even with the presence of the National Health Insurance Program (Philhealth), there are still gaps in its coverage. Card issued by Phil health is not accepted by most private hospitals and also meaningless in poorly-provisioned public hospitals with no medicines.

Despite the commitment of health professionals and health workers to serve, with the prevailing condition – many of them are pushed to go abroad by extreme poverty, unemployment, low salaries and benefits, inhumane working conditions, and political instability. Some 3,000 Filipinos including health care providers leave for abroad everyday. This leads to the aggravation of present health crisis.

There are disparities in the distribution of the health workforce. Seventy percent of all health workers employed in the private sector serve 30 percent of the population, while 30 percent employed in government services cater to the majority. Vast majority of health care professionals are in lucrative private practice in urban areas despite the fact that 60 percent of Filipinos die without the benefit of health professional attention.

Local health systems are weakened due to loss of key staff and decreased capacity to deliver essential front-line health services by rural health units (RHU), barangay health stations (BHS) and private health sector. Referral hospitals (core referral and end referral) run mainly by provincial, city governments and the Department of Health (DOH) are unresponsive to current constraints and inefficient, near-empty hospitals coexist with overcrowded and resource-poor provincial and tertiary hospitals.

Health workers are still overworked yet underpaid. Salary increases under the Salary Standardization Law are inadequate based on experiences of health workers considering the high cost of basic commodities. There is no line allotment for Magna Carta benefits in many hospitals. Understaffing problems continue to exist as there is no allotment for additional plantilla positions despite increased bed capacity and building expansions. Volunteers and trainees fill up the staffing deficiencies as free labor force while paying for their “training”.

Due to poor working condition of the health workers, they are pushed to work abroad. The Philippines has been the number one exporter of nurses and number two exporter of doctors in the world for several years. Yet hundreds of hospitals have closed down throughout the country due to the lack of health personnel, with hundreds more on the brink of closure. Health workers working in rural communities are also subjected to various forms of harassment by the State, including arbitrary arrests like the Morong 43 health workers.

The onslaught of natural calamities has made worse the inadequacy of dismal state-run health care facilities.

During the term of Pres. Arroyo, the national health budget did not address the chronic health distress. This year 2010, a minuscule P33.7B budget for the Department of Health and attached agencies reflects the callousness of the administration of the then Arroyo administration to people’s health and welfare. The health budget comprises a measly 2.2 percent of the P1.54 trillion national budget. This translates to a measly P0.98/day per Filipino.

Spending on health is only 3 percent of the annual Gross National Product, a far cry from the recommendation of the World Health Organization of 5 percent spending. Most of spending for health is out of pocket at 49 percent, while government spends 40 percent and social insurance at 11 percent.

The dismal condition of our people’s health reflects the apathy of the outgoing Arroyo government to the plight of the poor. Hold the Arroyo government accountable for the worsening health situation of the people!

For this reason we are calling on the incoming Aquino administration to immediately (on its first 100 days) act on the following health agenda :

1. Free the 43 illegally arrested and detained health workers.
2. Provide an adequate health budget. Immediately increase the national budget for health to at least P 90 billion.
3. Provide free health services for the poor in all levels of health care.
4. Provide free essential medicines for the poor in rural health centers and public hospitals.
5. Full implemention of salary increase for health workers: Immediately implement legislated P3,000 increase in base pay. Implement Salary Grade 15 (P24,887) for entry position of Nurse I. Inrease salary of doctor to P50,000 monthly.
6. Ensure full implementation of health workers benefits like Cost of Living Allowance (COLA), subsistence pay and hazard pay. Allocate funds for benefits.
7. Stop privatization/commercialization of government hospitals.
8. Provide adequate number of health professionals like doctors, nurses, midwives and dentists to far flung areas nationwide.
9. Prosecute the Arroyo administration for human rights violations and other crimes against the people.

For substantial change, let us work for following people’s health agenda:

1. Ensure the people’s right to health

 Provide an adequate health budget that is commensurate to the needs of Filipinos. Allocate at least 5 percent (P440 billion) of the Gross National Product (GNP) for health in the national government budget. Immediately increase the national budget for health to at least P 90 billion.
 Provide efficient, affordable and accessible healthcare for the people. Provide free health services for the poor at all levels of care.
 Provide safe, affordable and accessible medicines for all. Provide free essential medicines for the poor in rural health centers, and government hospitals.
 Develop and strengthen public health care system. Promote and set up community-based approach to health care nationwide. Put emphasis on the following nutrition, immunization and environmental sanitation.
 Provide effective and efficient programs aimed to eliminate TB, malaria, dengue and other infectious diseases, as well as emerging and rising diseases like HIV/AIDS.
 Ensure adequate tertiary and curative healthcare. Set up public hospitals in far flung areas. Upgrade and rehabilitate existing hospitals --primary, secondary, and tertiary in far flung areas.
 Ensure the equitable distribution of health personnel, resources, and funds throughout the archipelago.
 Nationalize drug industry so as to provide safe, accessible, affordable, and effective medicine. Regulate operations of transnational pharmaceutical companies.

2. Promote and uphold the interests of health professionals and health workers

 Provide adequate remuneration for health personnel both public and private. Promote the viable personal and career development of health personnel to encourage them to stay and serve in the rural areas.
 Ensure job security and stop contractualization, job-order schemes, and similar anti-health workers programs in government hospitals, health institutions and agencies.
 Immediately provide benefits. Ensure safe and humane working conditions.
 Uphold the rights of health workers to organize and unionize. Promote their participation in decision-making.
 Uphold and protect the rights of community health workers as health care providers.

3. Implement progressive health policies and programs

 Institutionalize participatory decision and policy-making. Strengthen transparency and accountability at all levels of health governance.
 Ensure people’s participation in health policy and program formulation.
 Strengthen public health care. Stop privatization as the core health policy. Stop the corporatization and commercialization of public hospitals.
 Promote nationalist, scientific, and mass-based healthcare services and health education.
 Develop and train health human resources based on health needs of the Filipino people. Stop commercialization of nursing and medical education.
 Implement the national drug policy.
 Promote and develop indigenous health care knowledge and practices.
 Develop self-reliant research program anchored primarily on the needs of the Filipino people.
 Stop policies, programs and projects that are hazardous and inappropriate to the needs of the Filipino people, the like Japan Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), and the Philippine Mining Act.
 Stop the labor export policy and brain-drain of health professionals.

4. Ensure the people’s overall well-being and address the social determinants of health

 Provide jobs. Provide living wages for workers and ensure job security.
 Ensure food security and eradicate malnutrition. Implement genuine land reform program and national industrialization.
 Ensure adequate shelter/housing and other social services for the people.

HEALTH SECTOR SUPPORTS PEOPLES’ AGENDA

Health is a direct result of the socio-economic well being of the people. In order to achieve better health for the Filipino people, genuine change in political and economic fields should take place. With this, the health sector actively supports the following people’s agenda for change:

1. Prosecute GMA and cohorts for crimes against the Filipino people:
• Human rights violations – enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, torture, illegal detention including the case of 43 health workers
• Electoral fraud
• Corruption
2. Provide immediate economic relief for the people:
• Repeal of VAT reform Law. No to additional taxes.
• Passage of a substantial legislated wage hike nationwide
• Moratorium of demolition of poor communities
• No tuition fee increase
• Provide free health services and medicines for the poor
3. Ensure that adequate resources are available to meet the people’s pressing needs:
• Ensure that the 2011 budget will provide adequate budget for social services
• Repeal the automatic appropriation act
4. Review/repeal the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Japan Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), and other anti-people laws
5. Resume peace negotiation. As confidence building and goodwill measures free all political prisoners including the 43 health workers
6. Legislate a genuine agrarian reform bill (GARB).

* Photo credit - People's Health Movement website http://www.phmovement.org/en

Global health care needs in rural areas: An essay

2010-08-08T22:03:00.000-07:00

By Lilia G. Hernandez, MD

There is a town in south central Washington, between the more progressive cities of Yakima and the Tri Cities (comprised of Pasco, Richland and Kennewick). Speed limit is at 35mph, 25 at most streets, 20 when children are present. And there are many of them, giving me a first impression this must be a town of young families. (Pop: 38.1% <18 yrs.)

I first arrived here March 15th 2010, when the temperatures were 30s Fahrenheit at night, 50s during the day. My first impression was of a flat land, most are planted, miles of vineyards and hops along the highway. There are small rolling hills into which the vineyards are inching up. In the early morning, the cool air smells of cow dung, which the locals call the smell of money, the sure reminder you are at Sunnyside, WA. This was desert land until damming of Columbia River provided irrigation that transformed the land and wealth of the area.

I came to work at a Pediatric Clinic to help a doctor who has been the only Pediatrician in this town for over 20 years. When the local hospital wanted to expand services, it opened clinics around the hospital and in neighboring towns. Dr. Anne Nealen used to be a missionary in Africa, working there for over 2 years, before getting married and settling in this town. Her pediatrics practice was absorbed into the Sunnyside Community Clinics and after over 2 years of recruiting, the hospital hired a 2nd pediatrician who stayed for 2 ½ years. Dr. Mario Tobia was of Filipino heritage, married to a Caucasian Canadian lady. When he left, I came as a locum tenens to fill in until a new doctor could be hired.

I soon learned the obvious, that this is a farming community. The population are >85% Hispanic who work the fields and farms. The Clinic population reflected this. Darigold and other dairy farms are located here, so are acres and acres of farmland for apples, grapes, hops. Many of the mothers I see are seasonal workers, many of the fathers work “en el campo” or with cows. One of the large clinic systems here is the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinics (YVFC). The Yakima TV station (KIMA) estimated the undocumented aliens here are as much as 40% of the Hispanic population.

As I go through my day at the Clinic, I quickly note that most of my patients do not speak English. The office workers are very ready to assist me in translating if the case is more complicated (ADHD, congenital defect, etc) but I am so glad for the Spanish we had to take in college and the vocabulary I had picked up practicing in California, before “retiring” and doing locum tenens.

On my first week, I was struck by the number of congenital anomalies I was seeing: 2 girls of about the same age with only 1 normal external ear, the other side had no ear canal, and only a small stub for pinna (microtia). Children born here (documented citizens) with various congenital defects and developmental delay. Seattle’s Children’s Hospital have specialists see many of them at the Children’s Village at Yakima, a site created so parents and children can see multiple specialists at the same site in one day. After a couple of weeks, I started asking if there were data showing the percentage of the population with congenital anomalies, ADHD, depression and various mental illness. It just seemed inordinately higher to me compared with populations of other towns I had been to before. I was wondering if this was simply an impression on me. After all, the waiting period to get into the Children’s Village for neurodevelopmental or other specialists’ evaluation was over 7-9 months. No one seems to be aware of any data. No one thought the presence of the Columbia River, once polluted by the Hanford nuclear facilities in WWII would be a cause or a factor. Much of the economy of the TriCities was fueled by the nuclear clean-up (Google Hanford).

As I see these children in the streets, and their parents, the immigration debate came to my mind. Here is another dimension that is not talked about. Clearly, these men and women work the fields to get America fed at the price we pay in the groceries. The American Academy of Pediatrics has noted in one email that fertilizers may be responsible for learning and developmental defects. Are many of these men and women, in their effort to earn for their families, who risk their lives crossing the river, irrigation canal, or the desert at the border, also inadvertently risk the future of their children? If these are not “undocumented” “illegal immigrants”, would there be a study made, a louder outcry? Or is this just an impression, not based on statistical analyses, on a pediatrician who has dedicated over 25 years of her adult life to the care of children in the United States?

I have a Hispanic last name but of Asian descent. I am a citizen of the world, an immigrant before becoming a citizen of this country, and my travels have helped me look at the human race as inherently one.

The People’s Health Agenda for the Aquino administration

2010-08-08T20:51:00.000-07:00

The Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc (VPHCS) and the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW)-Cebu Chapter have joined the campaign for the adoption of the People’s Health Agenda by the Aquino administration.

It was launched last June by various national health groups including the Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD), the AHW and the Council for Health and Development (CHD).

The People’s Health Agenda calls for the prioritization of people’s health and measures to improve health and health workers’ conditions.

The Agenda was presented by AHW National Secretary-general Jossel Ebesate during a forum sponsored by the VPHCS and AHW-Cebu Chapter on August 6, 2010 at the Visayas Community Medical Center (VCMC). The forum was attended by various health professionals, students and workers.

The Agenda includes among others, namely:

• Immediate release of 43 illegally-detained health workers arrested last February 6 in Morong, Rizal.
• Immediate increase of the national health budget to at least P 90 billion.
• Provision of free health services for the poor in all levels of health care.
• Provision of free essential medicines for the poor in rural health centers and public hospitals.
• Full implemention of salary increase for nurses, doctors and other health workers
• Full implementation of health workers benefits like Cost of Living Allowance (COLA), subsistence pay and hazard pay.
• A stop to privatization/commercialization of government hospitals.
• Provision of adequate number of health professionals like doctors, nurses, midwives and dentists to far flung areas nationwide.

The People’s Health Agenda shall be presented to President Aquino this month.

The VPHCS and AHW-Cebu lamented that patients and health workers have suffered long enough in the past years from decreasing health and hospital budget, inadequacy and increasing cost of public health services, and low salaries and inhumane working conditions that push most health professionals to go abroad. Poor patients are dying because they cannot afford medicines and health services even in public hospitals. Health workers are demoralized because they cannot give quality and effective health services despite their best efforts.

“Like most of our fellow Filipinos, we are hopeful that the new administration will listen and be responsive to our people’s health needs,” VPHCS physician Dr. Erlinda Posadas said.

The AHW is a 21,000-strong national organization of health workers from national government hospitals, rural health units, private hospitals, clinics and organizations. It has been in the forefront of health workers’ fight for health workers’ concerns and better services for patients. It is instrumental in pushing for the Magna Carta of Public Health Workers (RA 7305), the law that provides for economic benefits and rights to public health workers.

“Health for all”: The staying power of community-based health programs

2010-07-12T20:09:00.000-07:00

By Aurora Fernandez, R.N.

Rosario was quiet and subdued as she slowly walked towards us. Coming closer, it was plain to see how pale and weak she was. Three weeks earlier, she had agonized through 14 hours of breech childbirth, soaking five blankets with blood and without a midwife, delivered a stillborn baby. Shortly afterwards, the midwife showed up to assess the afterbirth and without any compunction, asked for P100.00.

The 33-year-old mother of four, complacent that her previous deliveries had been problem-free, had no prenatal care, even though her husband had urged her several times to see the doctor at the nearby Barangay Health Unit.

Now she was bleeding again, with blood clots the size of fists. She urgently needed hospitalization for a blood transfusion and dilatation and curettage (D & C).

But how to pay for it? Her husband was a gravedigger at the Liloan cemetery, and when there were no funerals, he cut down and pounded buli (a palm tree) trunks all day long to produce enough landang (palm flour) for binignit (a dessert with coconut milk). Lack of money meant their 12-year-old eldest son didn’t start school until last year.

Despite her protests, Rosario was persuaded to go to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center by volunteers and staff of the Visayas Primary Health Care Services (VPHCS). Dr. Erlinda Posadas of VPHCS admitted her and coordinated her treatment, even obtaining the medications and supplies on credit from an outside pharmacy. Working with the radiologist and OB-GYN physician, Dr. Posadas made sure the patient was promptly seen and a successful D & C performed at 11:00 PM the same day, following an ultrasound which showed placental fragments. Since Rosario’s husband had a fever, a friend, Julie, stayed with her overnight at the hospital.

Julie described the chaos at the emergency room that night as a scene straight out of Dante’s Inferno: nightmarish, frightening, and harrowing, with bloody patients moaning and screaming in pain while others waited desperately for medical attention. Two other postpartum patients lay on cots in the ER hallway while their families tried to find the money for a D&C. It was the kind of moral dilemma that drove doctors to despair. But Julie was also left with the unforgettable image of a no-nonsense doctor – Dr. Erlinda Posadas – whose compassion for a patient far exceeded ordinary expectations.

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Trying to make sense of the Philippines’ health care system where “those with the greatest need have the least access” is an exercise in futility. Barely propped up by Philhealth, the government health insurance system only covers 15 percent of hospitalization, medications and selected outpatient procedures, but NOT regular preventive medical check-ups – and the patient still gets slapped with a huge bill on discharge from the hospital.

Rosario’s designation as a charity case meant no doctors’ fees, but other services had to be paid for. Julie helped her obtain reimbursement for the loaned medications from the municipal government, but bureaucratic red tape at the local DSWD (Department of Social and Welfare Services) forced her to return three times before finally getting financial aid.

With the support of VPHCS, Rosario did not have to pay anything, but the whole episode was sobering. It pointed to the need for a rational health care system accessible to those without the means to pay, throwing into sharp relief the necessity for systematic reproductive health education and outreach not just to women of childbearing age and adolescents, but to entire barangays and local government units (LGUs). At the very least, it showed the need for easier access to financial assistance in LGUs -- services paid for by tax monies.

If not for timely intervention from VPHCS, Rosario would now be another statistic in the unrelenting maternal mortality data of this country, where eleven women die from maternal causes every single day, a tragic loss which not only has a profound personal and societal impact but also has economic consequences for years to come. Rosario’s stillborn infant did become a statistic: Philippine infant mortality rate remains at 34/1000 (Thailand’s is 18.23/1000).

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What is Visayas Primary Health Care Services and what does it do? As a community-based health program (CBHP), VPHCS, which has been in existence for 30 years, provides free or low-cost health care services to indigents in urban and remote rural areas in Cebu and Bohol. It is a limited safety net for those who fall through the cracks of government health care, but its proven ability to network with other health care practitioners – the specialists in tertiary care, for example – tremendously facilitates provision of services. One of its strong points is its ability to navigate the bureaucratic hospital maze and coordinate essential services. Another is its holistic orientation which includes the promotion of integrative medicine and appropriate technology, specifically acupuncture, homeopathy, reflexology and herbal meds.

In July 2006, VPHCS initiated a reproductive health program called YO! Lead or Youth on the Lead. Funded by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, YO! works with youth organizations in schools and local communities, developing leadership and life skills and providing information and access to reproductive health care services in office clinics and mobile medical missions.

CBHPS embody the principles of primary health care declared at the 1978 Alma Ata International Conference on Primary Health Care: fair, equitable and efficient health care services; community participation in decision-making; and an emphasis on education and preventive health. These principles are evident in the medical missions requested by various barangays and the annual training and skills update of community health workers.

CBHPs work without fanfare and with modest remuneration, their vision carried out by dedicated and selfless staff and volunteers in numerous communities throughout the Philippines - and in the United States. Seminal and groundbreaking, CBHPs deserve a place in the country’s Bantayog ng mga Bayani (Monument to Heroes) for their proven record of public service which has saved – and continues to save – the lives of countless Filipinos.

Aurora Fernandez, R.N. is a retired public health nurse based in California who believes that health care is a human right that should be accessible to everyone regardless of ability to pay. For her, a healthy, productive population strengthens and contributes to nation-building.

Dissemination Forum on Youth Reproductive Health

2010-07-09T20:23:00.000-07:00

The Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. (VPHCS) held a dissemination forum on July 9, 2010 at the Cebu Midtown Hotel function room on its just concluded four-year project, “Yo! Lead or Youth on the Lead.”

Lasting July 2006 to June 2010, the project is a leadership program for youth–initiated adolescent reproductive health advocacy and services in the provinces of Cebu, Bohol and Occidental Negros. It worked with 29 youth organizations in selected colleges and communities to promote increased practice of healthy reproductive and sexual health behaviors among the youth. It is funded by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America – International Division (PPFA).

The dissemination forum was participated in by representatives of the youth organizations in the three provinces who shared their achievements, experiences and lessons in the project. Representatives of officials of the covered communities and schools, government agencies and other non-government organizations involved in adolescent reproductive health also joined the forum.

Project coordinator Ms. Cheryl Padilla Molina presented a summary of the project. An open forum followed. Dr. Erlinda Posadas and Dr. Mark Telesforo Molina both members of the management committee of the VPHCS gave the opening and closing remarks, respectively.

The VPHCS is a non-government organization founded in 1985 that works with people’s organizations in depressed and underserved communities in providing health services and setting up community-based health programs (CBHPs). The Yo! Lead is one of its projects.

Summer Integration Program held

2010-06-21T23:59:00.000-07:00

Four nurses joined the Summer Integration Program (SIP) conducted by the Visayas Primary Health Care Services in the island barangay of Hilutungan, Cordova last June 4 – 6.

The SIP is a yearly activity that offers interested students and health professionals the chance to live with the communities , share their life experiences and render health services.

Nurses Zane Omega, Hanna Liza Lora, Arianne Rama, and Vernon Estrera lived with foster families during the three days, joined them in fishing and participated in their daily household chores. The nurses also conducted health education classes on control of acute respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases among the residents, mostly of whom are fisherfolks. The people’s organization Kahugpungan sa Gagmayng Mangingisda sa Hilutungan (KAGAMAHI) hosted the exposure program.

The nurses said that they learned to see their patients not merely as medical cases but as persons whose illness is deeply rooted in the social, economic and political spheres of our society. They realized that the people prioritize their economic needs more than their health needs. They also realized that as nurses, they can work together with the people’s organization to equip the residents with knowledge and skills on health so that they shall be empowered to attend to their health needs.

The island barangay is a beautiful tourist spot famous for its marine sanctuary. The residents subsist on fishing and guso (a type of edible algae) growing using crude fishing implements that give them barely enough income for their basic needs. Health services are direly lacking as exemplified by the lack of personnel and services in the barangay health center; the local midwife and municipal health officer of Cordova visit the island only once a month. Delivery is generally done by traditional birth attendants and the residents have to go to the mainland Cordova for their health needs, taking a pumpboat ride of P 30 for a way.

The SIP aims to develop among health students and professionals a critical awareness of the social determinants of health and to enhance their social responsibility and involvement.

University of the Philippines medical students speak on their summer community medicine elective course

2010-06-16T23:00:00.000-07:00

A group of eight students of the University of the Philippines – College of Medicine had a summer community medicine elective course facilitated by the Visayas Primary Health Care Services and the Community Medicine Development Foundation (COMMED) in Cebu and Bohol on May 15 to 30, 2010. Below are some of their insights.

- Lee Edson P. Yarcia
I recently learned that the Visayan dialect's term for the word "medicine" is "tambal." I can't help but notice that "tambal" is the root word for the Tagalog term for "partnership." Interestingly, this word play became my greatest learning in my short stay in Bohol as I underwent the student integration program.

We've been repeatedly told that health is a basic right, and it is not just the absence of disease or infirmity, but a state of complete well-being. In our exposure in various communities, a lot is still to be done to achieve holistic health.

In a setting where most pressing and basic needs are not met, it is understandable how people take less care of their health to attend to their concerns. Who would spend more on buying anti-cholesterol and anti-hypertensives when they are still worried where to get the next day's meal? How can you advise a hypertensive to stay away from intense heat, or to avoid strenuous and stressful lifestyle when it is his occupation to face the heat as a farmer, and arduously till the land day by day?

But I took hope with the people's organization. They grouped and rallied themselves for their collective dreams and aspirations. I take comfort that institutions like the Visayas Primary Health Care Services established partnerships with the people's organizations. It is the most sustainable approach to health care, the empowerment of the people.

As I live with the local community, I felt ashamed too for taking for granted the things I appreciate in life. It made me value the opportunities I have been offered, it made me more conscious of being responsible for the life I have.

- Anthony A. Suguitan The experience with VPHCS is very remarkable with a dint to my experience. I had not expected that an NGO such as VPHCS has extensive programs and projects here in the Visayas area. I marveled at how it sustains such activities through training and knowledge enrichment and sharing. With a good sense of appreciation, I think that these things would not have been possible without the people whose dedication to community work and health development is as steadfast as their resolve to make the nation a healthy one, one step at a time, using Primary Health Care as the mode of approach.

Speaking of PHC, health is the responsibility of the government and at the same time the people should participate. It is not a bankable propriety to hinge all the responsibility in the hands of the government when the stakeholders are also deemed to have even the slightest responsibility--- participation. I remember what Kennedy once had mentioned in one of his speeches -- think not of what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.

- Carol Stephanie C. Tan The community immersion illustrated very clearly the basic principles of the Alma Ata Primary Health Care Declaration. From my staying in the community, I saw how health is affected by the political, economic and social conditions. For example, the poor economic situation of the people in Ubay and Trinidad caused health to take a backseat. Most efforts were channeled towards income generating projects and land-ownership issues, which is why most of them were unconcerned that their health center was not easily accessible and a lot of medications unavailable.

On the other hand, in the town of Loon where there was strong political will and a fairly sustainable economy. I saw how health was really prioritized as proven by the efficient health centers and strong BHW Training System. From these experiences, I learned that as health care professional, it is not enough to just look at a person's physical health, but also to consider their living conditions in order to help that patient.

I also realized the importance of providing appropriate and relevant services to the community. From an outside perspective, it seems easy to impose what a community needs--- clean toilets, running water in faucets, medications for hypertension, etc. But when you actually live with the community, that's when you really see what the community wants and needs. In Ubay, the family I lived with didn't mind that they had to go to the church to use the toilet. Their main concerns were land ownership and sustainable livelihood. Thus, if an outsider were to simply come in and spend money on pipes and toilets, that couldn't be an efficient use of budget. I learned how important it is to really integrate with the community so that you can best serve them.

All in all, this community immersion program gave me a new perspective on health. It gave me a concrete picture of the ideas that we learned in class. It has really been fun and enlightening.

- Robert Angelo P. Totanes For me, the most important insight that I gained through this elective is that experiencing something is very different from knowing something. In our classes, we are taught that our health care situation is in dire need of help, that our countrymen suffer from poverty, and that we are needed here in the Philippines. This immersion has taught me that all of these really are true, perhaps even understated in the media and unnoticed by the vast majority of Filipinos. Getting a glimpse of what ordinary people do just to be able to eat three times daily is very enlightening, especially when you try to trace the root of their problems. It is true that the health of the individual, the family, and the community is inseparable from their economic condition, ability to organize, and their environment. Understanding this is very valuable in my perspective as a future health care professional because it will enable me to treat their disease, adjust accordingly to their situations, and try to help them get to the root of their health problems. Experiencing what my future patients probably experience daily has made me more aware of the multi-factorial nature of health, and consequently the various approaches one can take to treat illnesses.

It is also apparent that in our healthcare system, if the local government unit does not prioritize health, then most probably it will cause not only poor health for its constituents but also overloading of secondary and tertiary facilities. This highlights the crucial role of effective and efficient governance--- particularly local governance -- in the struggle for providing health for all. Perhaps we could improve more on educating the public on how the system works in order to properly allocate accountability when things are not running as they should be.

Finally, it cannot be stressed enough how important the role of NGOs is, particularly those who focus on primary health care. Given our very imperfect system of health, it is organizations such as the VPHCS that fill the gap and provide help and training for those who are marginalized. It has been an awesome experience, and I look forward to sharing what I learned in this elective.

- Ferdinand Luis G.Suarez I chose this community medicine elective because I wanted to see whether I am amenable with practicing in the provinces. It was not a hospital setting but I was able to see for a little time the health condition of different towns and communities in Cebu and Bohol. So far, the whole elective program was awesome. Maybe the biggest obstacle was the language barrier. Although at the end of the rotation I was able to understand Bisaya.

I’m particularly impressed with the municipality of Loon. I think the LGU is doing a great job with its health programs. The mayor, a doctor, prioritizes health over other programs and can be seen in the RHUs.

The people’s organizations are doing a great job in their communities. They empower the people, they lead the people and they help the people. I think the government should recognize POs and help them build their organization.

Overall, I learned a lot from this rotation. I hope I can use this knowledge in the future.

- Patrick Sy I didn’t expect this summer elective to be this fulfilling and exciting. Considering this was my first real community experience ever. I didn’t only learn how to survive but I was also able to render happiness to my foster families and patients as well. I was able to experience a lot of Philippine customs from eating raw seafood to living the same life as our foster families for a couple of days. I really appreciate their most warm welcome.

There was even a time when we were treated as guests but nevertheless, we managed to integrate with them by assisting them with their household chores / every work (e.g. fishing and travelling through plains/ farmlands) and hearing out their struggles to own their land against greedy landlords. It was good that we were able to do a Tuli (circumcision) mission, some house to house consults and medical check-ups to enforce our medical skills although it would have been better if we had some basic medicines so that our patients would feel optimistic (taking into the fact that even if we prescribe medications, most of them don’t have the financial capability to complete their treatment regimen).

I really like how VPHCS handled the course of the itinerary. The tasks were arranged and planned well in the sense that we were always actively involved with the community (courtesy call to the Mayor, having small group discussions with the POs at specific barangays). The amount of tasks was also sufficient to achieve the objectives but not redundant enough to exhaust our energies. We would like to thank everyone in VPHCS who guided us through the course of the elective. They weren’t just our temporary teachers and translators but they also acted as foster parents who cared for us.

Overall, everything went well and if I were required to give a suggestion it would only be to experience integrating with foster families that have lesser in life (like what was shown in the documentaries) in the future so that it would be a whole new experience yet again.

- Arthur Z. Gallo As stated in the Alma Ata Declaration, HEALTH IS A RIGHT. It shouldn’t be treated as a luxury that only those who can afford may avail it. However, this is not always the case especially for those urban poor and rural communities. Health centers may be inaccessible or lacking in medicines, facilities or even doctors. Fortunately enough, there were communities that have formed their own organizations. These organizations are the means for these communities to exercise their right to health. This exemplifies that people participation is also important for the projects of the people’s organization to be successful.

It was also stated that the GOVERNMENT has the PRIMARY ROLE to promote health. During the course of the integration, I’ve come to observe how the government (LGU) affects the promotion of health among its constituents. The higher the priority for health is the more accessible and available health becomes to the people.

Lastly, one of the most important lessons I’ve learned in this elective, it is important to know the social determinants of health. The integration process has allowed us to understand the lives of the people in the community where I was assigned. It is not enough to treat only the biological aspect of illness but also look at the patient as a whole and in the context of the community where he/she belongs. The biological aspect of the illness may be only a symptom of the entire disease entity and thus, we may not be able to address why the patient became ill.

In conclusion, as a future medical practitioner, a full understanding of the patient’s illness is needed and empowering patients will be my contribution for health promotion.

- Raoul Felipe Community medicine has always been a field of medicine that attracted me. It is why once we were presented with a chance to do an elective in Cebu and Bohol, I immediately grabbed the chance! And now, as I look back on these past two weeks, I can say with conviction that it has been the most blessed two weeks of my medical education.

In Cebu, we visited three key locations: Barangay Pasil, Sitio Mary grace and Sitio Backmatimco. Pasil, a breakwater community was the dirtiest of all. It actually seemed like a barangay from Tondo or Pasay, as they both were river communities – thriving on what little the river had to offer. Mary grace was a different story. They were a forgotten community, forced to be in exile by another claiming landlord. Their community was small…but their sense of family and togetherness was so immense. They fought for their land and each other. Backmatimco, in my opinion was the most organized of them all. Their health center was clean and had educational posters and paraphernalia yet they lacked the most basic of medical equipment and medicine. From these three communities, I learned that in every community, no matter where, you need the spirit of family and belonging more than anything else. Everything begins with unity. When communities fight and stay together, that is the start of something big. Organization and structure without unity is a lost cause.

Bohol was another story. More than exposure, immersion was our key goal. The first community was Pangpang, Ubay. For me, the five days we spent in Ubay was BITIN. I could stay there for 2 weeks! We enjoyed our stay so much. In Pangpang we felt very welcome – our integration into their community took little effort because they made it easy for us. I welcomed the chance to fish everyday, as well as teach the community about health, and as a bonus we had the chance to circumcise! I felt very sad as we headed for Trinidad. There, it was entirely a different story. It was very hard for us to integrate in Trinidad because the family seemed to treat us as outsiders…plus we had no interpreter this time to help us out. Regardless, we still tried hard; farming, getting water, etc. and our immersion went well.

Those whole two weeks have taught me that there is a much bigger world outside the hospital…outside Manila. There are people who need much much more than medicine…the look for acceptance and belonging and recognition. As doctors, we need to be able to address their needs as people and not only medical needs.

Photos courtesy of Arthur Z. Gallo

Community medicine elective course for UP medical students

2010-06-14T00:16:00.000-07:00

The Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. (VPHCS) facilitated the community medicine elective course for eight students of the University of the Philippines – College of Medicine (UPCM) Class 2012 in urban and rural poor communities in Cebu and Bohol last May 15 – 30, 2010.

The elective course was initiated by the Community Medicine Development Foundation (COMMED) in coordination with the UPCM. The COMMED is a non-government organization based in Manila that organizes and brings physicians and health science students to practice, promote and develop community medicine as an integral aspect of community health work.

The eight students currently in their fourth year medical school in UPCM, visited and stayed in urban poor communities in Cebu including Barangay Pasil and Sitio Mary Grace in Talamban in Cebu City, and Sitio Back of Matimco in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City. In Bohol the students stayed in farming and fishing communities in Ubay, Loon and Trinidad.

These communities have existing community-based health programs (CBHPs) with active community health workers (CHWs) and people’s organizations that deliver primary health care services to the residents with whom the medical students integrated and lived. The two-week community immersion enabled the students to understand concepts and actual practice of community health work, organizing and development.

The students learned to analyze health and development problems in the communities in relation to the social determinants of health and realize their role as medical students and doctors in health development work.

The students are Raoul Felipe, Arthur Z. Gallo, Patrick Sy, Ferdinand Luis G. Suarez, Robert Angelo P. Totanes, Carol Stephanie C. Tan, Anthony A. Suguitan, and Lee Edson P. Yarcia.

Photo credit: Arthur Z. Gallo & VPHCS

Training on fund raising conducted

2010-05-27T01:32:00.000-07:00

As part of the resource generation and sustainability program of the Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc., a series of staff development seminars on fund raising was conducted by the VPHCS with the support of the Asmae-Association Soeur Emmanuelle, a French non-government organization.

Ms. Lani Bayron, fund raising specialist contracted by Asmae, conducted the third series of trainings on fund raising for the staff on May 25- 28, 2010. She elaborated the concepts of program marketing as exemplified in the VPHCS training center Balay Kahimsog. Ms. Bayron assisted the VPHCS staff in formulating a marketing plan for the training center located in Barangay Cambanac, Baclayon, Bohol.

During the seminar, Ms. Bayron further discussed about project development and management.

The fund raising mission supported by Asmae aims to enhance the capacities of the VPHCS to raise funds particularly by developing its understanding of the different sources of funds, providing supportive mechanisms to enable its fundraising team to become more effective in searching for and responding to fundraising opportunities, and supporting the fundraising team of VPHCS in the creation and improvement of adapted fundraising methods and tools.

The first seminar of the VPHCS staff was conducted in January 2010 followed by the second one in April 2010. A seminar on fund raising was also conducted for 15 partners of Asmae in the Philippines in March 2010 in Makati City.

Asmae currently has a partnership with the VPHCS, implementing a project “Promotion of Environmental Health and Child Nutrition in Community-based Health Programs in Cebu” in three communities in Cebu. Another component of the project is the enhancement of the fund raising capacity of the VPHCS in relation with its resource generation and sustainability program.

Homeopathy seminar conducted

2010-05-27T00:55:00.000-07:00

As part of the continuing education on alternative medicine for the staff of the Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. a training on homeopathy was conducted by renowned German homeopath Dr. Norbert Enders in May 2010.

It was the third series of trainings conducted by Dr.Enders, a member of the Solidarite Homeopathie based in France where he currently resides. The first was done in December 2008 followed by August 2009.

In such trainings, Dr. Enders taught the staff the basic concepts and principles of homeopathy through lectures and actual cases of patients. Various homeopathic remedies and how they are effective were explained thoroughly by Dr. Enders. Documentation of patients before they received and after they received treatment was done as part of the teaching process.

Dr. Enders together with staff members also held clinics for indigent patients in Barangay Pasil and Sitio Mary Grace in Talamban as part of the training process.

Members of the staff of the VPHCS are currently practicing homeopathy. Remedies brought by Dr. Enders from his organization are available in the VPHCS office.

New partnership with Asian Community Trust

2010-05-17T20:28:00.000-07:00

The Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. (VPHCS) has forged a partnership with the Asian Community Trust (ACT) to implement the project, “Building community-based health programs to promote health and prevent disease in Bohol.”

The project areas are Barangay Sto. Nino in the Municipality of San Miguel and Barangay Caluasan in the Municipality of Dagohoy. The communities have been affected by the failure of the Malinao Dam Project which has worsened their economic situation that in turn affected their health conditions. The project which started in April 2010 works with the people’s organizations in the communities, namely, the MALALA or the Mag-Uuma sa LACALSANDA Batok sa Land Levelling (Farmers in Lacalsanda against Land Leveling), the San Miguel Organic Farmers Association and the Dagohoy Farmers’ Association.

The project shall equip community health workers (CHWs) and leaders of the people’s organizations with knowledge and skills to build community based health programs which shall address the common health problems in their communities. Capacity building is a primary strategy in the project which will enable the CHWs and the leaders to launch health campaigns that will address the prevalence of common preventable and communicable diseases. Direct health services by project staff and volunteer health professionals shall also address the diseases in the communities.

The Asian Community Trust (ACT), Japan's first fund raising-style charitable trust, was established in 1979 to assist people at the grass-roots level in Asian developing countries. It has supported projects in more than five Asian countries, in fields spanning health, medical treatment, education, youth training, and development of rural communities.

Operation tuli missions conducted

2010-05-17T20:01:00.001-07:00

Nearly 500 boys were circumcised by staff and volunteers of the Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. (VPHCS) and other groups in three separate operation tuli missions this April.

The first operation tuli was held in Poblacion Baclayon, Bohol on April 22, sponsored by the VPHCS, the local government unit of the Municipality of Baclayon, the Students Alliance for Community Health Services (SACHS) in Bohol, and the Kabataan Party List. More than 180 boys from Baclayon availed of the services.

The second operation tuli was held in Barangay Bolinawan, Carcar City on April 24, held in coordination with the Total Outreach for Community Health (TORCH) of the Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM), the Cebu Relief and Rehabilitation Center, Inc. (CRRC) and the local government unit of Carcar City. About 220 boys from Barangays Valencia, Buenavista , Calidngan and Bolinawan were circumcised by students and alumni of the CIM who are members of the TORCH.

The third operation tuli was held in the rural barangay of Mahagbu in the Municipality of Trinidad, Bohol on April 26. Youth from Trinidad together with staff members of the VPHCS served more than 60 boys. Blood sugar testing was also done.

VPHCS promotes community health awareness and involvement among students

2010-05-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

The Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. (VPHCS) has recently tapped more nursing and medical students in Cebu and Bohol in its continuing effort to involve health students in its community-based health programs and outreach medical missions.

In Cebu, the VPHCS has facilitated the formation of the Students for Health Advocacy, Response and Empowerment (SHARE), an organization of medical and health allied students committed to serve the communities. In Bohol, the Students Alliance for Community Health Services (SACHS) composed of nursing students in Tagbilaran City has continued to join VPHCS in its outreach medical missions.

SHARE Batch 2012- USPF Chapter was formed in March 25, 2010 after 25 students who were given an orientation of SHARE showed interest to pursue its objectives. An election of officers of the chapter was also conducted. Its first activity was a community outreach program in Sitio Back of Matimco, Subangdako, Mandaue City last April 9, 2010. Fifteen members of the chapter gave a health education class on hand washing to 30 children who were beneficiaries of the ongoing feeding program in the sitio. The students also took the blood pressure of the residents.

In Bohol, SACHS members recently joined an operation tuli sponsored by the VPHCS and the local government unit of Baclayon on April 22.

Medical and dental mission conducted in Barili

2010-05-16T23:40:00.000-07:00

More than 150 patients were served in a medical and dental mission conducted in Barangay Gunting, Barili on April 24, 2010. The activity was sponsored by the Farmers Development Center (FARDEC) and supported by the Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. (VPHCS), the Visayas Climate Action Network, the Community Empowerment Resource Network (CERNET), the local government unit of Barili, and German Doctors of Cagayan de Oro City.

Medical check-up, dental services and free dispensing of medicines were rendered by staff members and volunteer doctors and nurses of the VPHCS.

A survey of the health conditions in the barangay using a questionnaire was also conducted among selected patients during the mission. Results of the survey shall be collated by the VPHCS staff and disseminated to the barangay residents for action.

Training center in Baclayon, Bohol accepts bookings

2010-03-18T22:10:00.000-07:00

The Balay Kahimsog currently accepts bookings for seminars, retreats and other gatherings of government agencies, schools, and non-government organizations at affordable prices.

Located on top of the hills of Barangay Cambanac, Baclayon, Bohol surrounded by trees, vegetables and flowers and the majestic mountains of Bohol, it is reached by any vehicle about 15 minutes ride from the main highway of Baclayon, about seven kilometers from Tagbilaran City.

Built primarily from funds generated by the Fil-Am Center for Community Health and Development (FACCHD) in Pleasanton, Califonia, U.S.A, the construction took nearly four years. It started operation in the second quarter 2009 and has since then accepted bookings from different groups.

It is also a training center for health workers in community-based health programs in Central Visayas region, and a resource center for primary health care and alternative forms of medicine including herbal medicine and acupuncture.

It is a concrete two-storey building with a spacious conference hall that occupies the entire second floor, an office, a kitchen, a dining hall, sleeping quarters, and a clinic for medical consultation and acupuncture.

Interested parties may contact Ms. Linda de Castro, Balay Kahimsog in-charge 09284149483. or e-mail vphcsi@yahoo.com.ph

Medical mission in Ubay, Bohol

2010-03-16T22:46:00.000-07:00

Around 175 children were served during the medical mission conducted by the Visayas Primary Health Care Services in coordination the Pangpang Farmers and Fisherfolks Organization (PAF0) in Barangay Pangpay, Ubay, Bohol on Feb. 27, 2010.

The team of volunteer doctors and health staff together with members of the Student Alliance for Community Health Services (SACHS) students of Holy Name University University in Tagbilaran City rendered the health services which included urinalysis, nutritional status determination, visual acuity testing, dental check-up and medical check-up.

The VPHCS started such type of medical mission of physical examination of children last March 2009 with the objective of screening of visual, urinary tract and dental problems, malnutrition and other problems which could impair the proper growth and development of the children. The VPHCS shall come up with a health profile and recommendations for intervention of the children.

Community-based health programs in Cebu

2010-03-15T00:45:00.000-07:00

The Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. (VPHCS) has continued to work with people’s organizations to develop and strengthen primary health care programs in various marginalized communities in Cebu.

In the urban poor communities of St. Mary Grace in Talamban and Barangay Pasil in Cebu City, Sitio Back of Matimco in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City and Sitio Salvage in Barangay Looc, Lapu-lapu City, community health workers (CHWs) that the VPHCS have trained are delivering basic and essential health services to the community residents.

The people’s associations include the St. Mary Grace Neighborhood Association in St. Mary Grace, the Pasil Women’s Organization, the Kaming Lumulupyo walay Sandigan (KALUWASAN) in Sitio Back of Matimco, and the Anakpawis – Looc Chapter in Sitio Salvage.

The services include basic home remedies of ordinary illnesses such as cough, colds and fever, herbal medicine processing and dispensing, operation blood pressure, a community kitchen and feeding program, home visitations and health education on common problems in the communities.

The Association Soeur Emmanuelle (Asmae), a funding agency in France supports the activities in St. Mary Grace, Sitio Back of Matimco and Looc. It is also supporting the construction of simple health centers in the latter two communities.

In Pasil, the CHWs are actively conducting information drives and case finding for tuberculosis. Health educations are being conducted on the signs and symptoms of the number six killer disease in the country and symptomatic patients are referred to the local health center for sputum examination.

SMS hotline for RH

2010-03-15T00:34:00.000-07:00

If you are young and you have problems related with sex, pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, contraception, or other aspects of adolescent reproductive health, the VPHCS can help you.

In line with its current project, the Yo! Lead (A Leadership Program for Youth–initiated RH Advocacy and Services in the Philippines) the VPHCS has a hotline called the Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) Short Message Service (SMS) hotline.

Peer educators of the Y4R network who have been trained and mentored since 2006 answer confidential queries on SRH of interested youth through SMS or text message, making the transfer of accurate SRH information and peer counseling to peers more accessible and youth-friendly.

A manual for peer educators containing information, guidance and standard procedures for the hotline serves as a guide in answering text messages received by them and VPHCS personnel.

The numbers of the hotline in Cebu are the following,

for schools, 09275597203, 09081287568, 09326928525;
for communities, 09275819903, 09291053857, 09326928558.

Bohol: 09275597095, 09081286547, 09323675500.

Negros: 09275597202, 09081286546, 09326928557.

Reproductive Rights Advocates Call on Candidates to Uphold Reproductive Rights--Consent to the Visit of CEDAW Experts and UN Special Rapporteurs

2010-03-15T00:18:00.000-07:00

Quezon City, February 18, 2009 – We call on the candidates for the national, congressional, and local elections to uphold reproductive rights and make reproductive health part of their program of action providing the necessary budget for RH information and supplies. We urge the current and the future government officials to consent to the visits of the UN CEDAW experts[1] and the UN Special Rapporteurs[2] on their investigation of reproductive rights violations in the Philippines . We urge the future members of the 15th Congress to the pass the Reproductive Health Care Bill (RH bill) into law immediately.

We urge electorates to vote for candidates who are supporting the passage of the RH bill into Law. It has been over eight years since the first RH bill has been filed in Congress. The failure to pass the RH bill has been detrimental to the health and lives of Filipinos especially women and children.

According to the recently-launched 2008 National Demographic and Health Survey (2008 NDHS 2008), one in three births is either unwanted or mistimed; over half of married women age 15-49 do not want another child; 82 percent of married women want either to space their births or to limit childbearing altogether. The total unmet need for family planning[3] is 22 percent with highest unmet need for women age 15-19, lowest quintile of wealth, rural women and women in ARMM while the contraceptive prevalence rate among currently married women who use modern methods is a mere 34 percent. Twenty-six percent of women age 15-24 have already began child-bearing.

The 2008 NDHS also cites health concerns and fear of side effects as the two foremost reasons why women do not use contraceptives while only three percent do not use contraceptives because of religious belief. Only 44 percent of births occur in health facilities and only 62% of births are assisted by a health professional.[4] The under-five mortality rate for children born less than two years after a previous birth is 54 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared with 25 deaths per 1,000 for children born after an interval of four or more years showing the importance of birth spacing for the health of the children and that of the mother. The infant mortality rate from 2004-2008 is 25 deaths per 1,000 live births and the under-five mortality rate is 34 deaths per 1,000 live births[5] showing the impact of unintended pregnancies and lack of access to reproductive health information and supplies.

Nationwide, almost half of all pregnancies are unintended.[6] Based on the UNFPA State of the World Population Report (SWPR) in 2008, the maternal mortality ratio was 230 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births.[7] This translated to 11 women dying per day while giving birth. Not a single death should happen due to pregnancy and childbirth. These are preventable deaths. Deaths that could have been prevented by proper information and access to services while we have aspiring government officials and current government officials who do not support the passage of the RH bill and even restrict access to modern contraceptives such as in the case of Manila City .

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has identified in its guidelines for voters that they should not vote for candidates who support the RH bill. The above findings on the negative impact of the non-passage of the RH bill and the restriction of access to modern contraceptives show that the CBCP is not responsive to the needs of the Filipinos—Catholics included. “The CBCP’s stance on the RH bill is detrimental to women’s reproductive rights. CBCP is completely disregarding the needs of Filipinos and this is detrimental to the lives and well-being of Filipinos especially the poor,” said Attorney Clara Rita A. Padilla, Executive Director of EnGendeRights.

“The 2008 national and Manila City surveys of the Social Weather Stations both confirm that majority of Filipinos want the RH bill passed into law, 71% and 86%, respectively. Politically, it is popular for legislators to support the RH bill. With these statistics, a c lea r support for the RH bill increases the possibility of winning a seat in the coming 2010 elections. More and more voters are keeping tab,” added Benjamin de Leon, President of The Forum for Family Planning and Development.

“As can be seen in the survey, the residents of Manila want the RH bill passed into law. The poor of Manila took the brunt of former Mayor Atienza’s policy under EO 003 (Series of 2000) by restricting their access to contraceptives. And they are still feeling the impact of such restrictive policy even now under Mayor Lim’s term since the Office of the Mayor is not providing funds to buy free contraceptives for Manila residents. The impact of such a policy is especially felt by poor women who cannot even afford to buy a 25 peso kilo of rice for their families,” stressed Benjamin de Leon.

Ramon San Pascual, Executive Director of Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD), stressed that, “The impact of the lack of reproductive health information and access to health care services is grave especially to poor women who do not have money to pay for their own contraceptive supplies and for counseling from private doctors.”
“If we have a comprehensive reproductive health care law, we will not have these restrictive policies in place. We will have more women having access to sexuality education and reproductive health information and services,” says Ramon San Pascual.

It is the obligation of the Philippine government as cited in the 2006 Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee) Concluding Comments on the Philippines to “strengthen measures aimed at the prevention of unwanted pregnancies, including by making a comprehensive range of contraceptives more widely available and without any restriction”; “give priority attention to the situation of adolescents and that it provide sex education, targeted at girls and boys, with special attention to the prevention of early pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.”

“Our representatives in government and aspiring government officials must realize that our very own Constitution states that, ‘Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them.’ Government officials must be reminded that they are mere representatives of the Filipino people and that their obligation is to the Filipino people and not to the Catholic Church and its bishops who are against the passage of the RH bill into law. Government officials must respect plurality in our society. They must uphold access to reproductive health information and health care services and give primary importance to a person’s right to reproductive self-determination. Fundamentalist public officials who restrict access to information and health care services do not deserve any place in governance,” Atty. Padilla added.

For a copy of the SWS survey, see www.sws.org.ph.

************************

[1] The Philippine-based Task Force CEDAW Inquiry led by EnGendeRights and WomenLead, the Center for Reproductive Rights and International Women’s Rights Action Watch, Asia-Pacific (IWRAW-AP), have submitted a total of three official requests for inquiry for consideration of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Committee) to investigate discrimination and other treaty violations resulting from the EO.

The initial request for inquiry, dated June 2, 2008, asserted that the EO violates Articles 2, 3, 5, 10, 11, 12, and 16, and that the state is responsible for such violations. The subsequent requests, also sent by the Task Force CEDAW Inquiry, dated October 27, 2008, and April 22, 2009, highlight further violations by the Philippine government. In addition, the subsequent requests for inquiry discuss the controversial Reproductive Health Bill, which present Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim does not support.

The Philippine-based Task Force CEDAW Inquiry consists of twenty members: EnGendeRights (co-convenor; see http://www.engenderights.org), WomenLEAD (co-convenor); Alternative Law Groups (ALG); Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP); Family Planning Organization of the Philippines (FPOP); Health Action Information Network (HAIN); Health & Development Initiatives Institute, Inc. (HDII); Institute for Social Studies and Action, Philippines (ISSA); Kapisanan ng mga Kamag-anak ng Migranteng Manggagawang Pilipino, Inc (KAKAMMPI); MAKALAYA; Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD); Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health and Welfare, Inc., ( PNGOC ); Population Services Pilipinas, Inc. (PSPI); Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panlegal/Alternative Legal Assistance Center (SALIGAN-ALAC); Save the Children USA-Philippines Country Office; The Forum for Family Planning and Development, Inc.; Woman Health Philippines; Women’s Crisis Center; Women’s Legal Bureau (WLB); Women’s Media Circle Foundation, Inc.

[2] On March 27, 2009, the Philippine-based Task Force CEDAW Inquiry led by EnGendeRights and WomenLead, the Center for Reproductive Rights and International Women’s Rights Action Watch, Asia-Pacific (IWRAW-AP), submitted a request to six United Nations Special Rapporteurs (UNSRs) requesting for an Urgent Appeal to be transmitted to the Philippine government and seeking a fact-finding country visit to investigate reproductive rights violations related to Manila City Executive Order 003 (“EO 003”). The goal in submitting the request was to draw the UNSRs attention to the grave violations perpetrated in Manila City by the Philippine government against women and their families.

The request for an Urgent Appeal was submitted to six UN Special Rapporteurs, namely, health, violence against women, education, human rights defenders, freedom of religion or belief, and the Independent Expert on extreme poverty.
[3] Unmet need for family planning is defined as the percentage of currently married women who either do not want any more children or want to wait before having their next birth, but are not using any method of family planning.
[4] UNFPA says that for every 500,000 people there should be at lea st 4 facilities offering Basic Emergency Obstetric Care (BEmOC) and for every 500,000 people there should be at lea st 1 facility offering Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care (CEmOC) which should be appropriately distributed.

[5] Infant mortality is the probability of dying before the first birthday while under-five mortality is the probability of dying between birth and fifth birthday.
[6] Singh S et al., Unintended Pregnancy and Induced Abortion in the Philippines : Causes and Consequences, New York : Guttmacher Institute, 2006.

[7] If you compare the Philippine maternal mortality ratio with other countries, you would see the effects of access to reproductive health information and services. The 2008 maternal mortality ratio in other countries are, as follows: 11 in US (with modern method contraceptive prevalence rate of 68%), 7 in Canada, 4 in Spain (with modern method contraceptive prevalence rate of 62%), 3 in Italy, 6 in Japan, 14 in South Korea, 14 in Singapore (with modern method contraceptive prevalence rate of 53%). Across Europe, with the exception of Albania , Romania , and Estonia , the maternal mortality ratio is below 15.

Karapatan: Rights-Based Sexual and Reproductive Health Information and Services for Filipinos

2010-03-07T19:53:00.000-08:00

The project “Karapatan: Rights-Based Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Information and Services for Filipinos (KRIS)- VPHCS,” also called as the “Yo! Lead or Youth on the Lead” is a leadership program for youth–initiated adolescent reproductive health advocacy and services in the provinces of Cebu, Bohol and Negros Occidental, Philippines that aims to promote increased practice of healthy reproductive and sexual health (RSH) behaviors among the youth.

Now on its fourth and last year, the project has remarkably harnessed the potentials of the Visayan youth to own and develop a reproductive health project that responds to their very own issues and concerns.

The project worked in partnership with 29 youth organizations in selected schools and communities in the three provinces in providing information and access to youth-friendly reproductive health services and developing leadership and life skills crucial to them.

Funded by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), the project was born in 2006 to address the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) problems and concerns of the youth by providing youth -initiated adolescent reproductive health advocacy and services. Teen-age pregnancies, sexually-transmitted diseases and infections, unsafe abortions and cases of violence, among other problems, continue to affect the youth and need to be addressed by all sectors of our society, including the youth themselves.

The project strived to increase the awareness and practice of healthy SRH behaviors and reproductive rights among the youth in the project areas. It also aimed to increase access to, and utilization of rights-based SRH services for the youth.

The project has harnessed the leadership and initiatives of its 29 partner youth organizations in different schools and communities in Cebu, Bohol and Negros Occidental to design and implement projects that provided sexuality education and SRH services to vulnerable youth populations in their schools and localities.

The project trained and mentored leaders and peer educators of these organizations, 20 of which are community-based and nine are school-based, and provided small grants for their projects on SRH information, advocacy and services.

From July 2006 to December 2009, the project has more than a hundred youth leaders and peer educators from schools and communities in the three provinces knowledgeable on SRH issues, effective communication, project management, and leadership development. Through various worthwhile activities and experiences including needs assessments, focused group discussions, trainings on leadership and reproductive health, youth camps, peer educators’ trainings and other educational gatherings, all youth organizations have tremendously enhanced the awareness and practice of safe sexual and reproductive health behaviors, promoted reproductive rights, and increased access to and utilization of rights-based SRH services among their youth populace.

On December 1, 2008, the Youth for Rights Network (Y4R) was launched as a network of the youth organizations. It has engaged in advocacy activities, particularly innovative and creative activities and projects to address particular concerns and needs of the youth especially in reproductive health. Through the programs crafted by the network, it has produced capable, productive and pro-active members of the community.

The project shows that the youth themselves must be empowered to recognize and act upon their needs in order to sustain successful youth SRH programs. However, such programs can work much better when the youth leaders receive inputs on technical concerns and leadership and are supported by a network of adults and services that meet their needs. The project indeed is working towards this end.

Community Health Workers: Unsung Heroes of a Failed Health System - Bulatlat

2010-02-16T18:27:00.000-08:00

Community Health Workers: Unsung Heroes of a Failed Health System - Bulatlat

VPHCS calls for release of Morong 43 health workers

2010-02-08T20:02:00.000-08:00

News Release
February 9, 2010

A Cebu-based health non-government organization has called for the release of the 43 health workers abducted by military and police elements last Feb.6, in Morong, Rizal.

The Visayas Primary Health Services, Inc. (VPHCS) said in a statement that the abduction of the health workers including two doctors, one nurse, one midwife and several community health workers is an affront on the people’s right to health. An attack on health workers and organizations that are training to serve their communities is an attack on the right to health of the people.

VPHCS denounced the illegal arrest and detention of the health workers and urged the Philippine government to ensure their safety and their immediate release. As a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Philippine Government is bound to uphold the rights of its citizens, including their right to health,

The VPHCS asserted that the accusations of the military against the health workers are utterly absurd and ludicrous. The First Responders Training was simply a health skills training that aimed to transfer knowledge and skills from the health professionals to the community health workers so that they can in turn render health services in their communities. The Council for Health and Development, of which the VPHCS is a member, as part of its mission, has always conducted such capability-building programs for various organizations in depressed and remote communities.

The VPHCS likewise has for several years now, joined the CHD and all other 50 community-based health programs nationwide, in promoting self-reliance on health care and health development in marginalized communities.

In these times when basic health services are direly lacking in urban and rural poor communities in the country, it is laudable that community health workers are being trained and equipped with skills so that they can render basic promotive, preventive and curative health care to their community residents. It is even more laudable that doctors, nurses, midwives and other health professionals are partners in such capability-building efforts in these times when many others are leaving the country for greener pastures.

FACCHD donates to VPHCS

2010-01-30T09:19:00.000-08:00

The VPHCS received a check of $9,000 from the Fil-Am Center for Community Health and Development, Inc. (FACCHD) last January 8, 2010.

Books and supplies for Balay Kahimsog

2010-01-26T21:40:00.001-08:00

A library is an added feature in the Balay Kahimsog. Lucita Luciani, a Filipino – American nurse based in U.S.A. who has been a close supporter of the VPHCS donated several books and bookshelves for the training center. The books include Readers’ Digest, Webster dictionary, children’s books, women’s study books, and national bestsellers.

She also donated medical supplies for the health programs of the VPHCS.

Medical supplies from FACCHD

2010-01-26T21:34:00.000-08:00

The medical services of the VPHCS for its many indigent patients in the communities got a bigger boost with medicines, medical equipment and supplies donated by the Fil-Am Center for Community Health and Development (FACCHD) brought by the Treasurer of its Board of Trustees, Engr. Pete Mortera during his visit to the Philippines this January.

The medicines included those for common illnesses that will be beneficial to VPHCS beneficiaries who cannot afford essential care which has become more costly. The blood pressure apparatus will be used by VPHCS volunteer doctors, nurses and health students during its medical missions in the communities.

Packs of blood glucose monitoring strips were also donated which will be useful for diabetic patients in the communities.