DOH, JICA expand health services in Cordillera sites

The Center for Health Development, the regional health unit of the Department of Health will expand maternal and health services in the Cordillera with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

About P17 million was allotted for expansion activities in provinces of Apayao, Benguet, and six municipalities of Abra as target sites.

The CHD will soon expand the projects in Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Baguio City, and the remaining 21 municipalities of Abra.

“Using the model currently implemented in the JICA-supported sites, we will make sure that the CHD’s technical assistance will respond to the diverse needs of our local populace according to the local guideline of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) strategy, and Indigenous Peoples Right Act,” said CHD-Cordillera regional director Dr.Valeriano Jesus V. Lopez during the recent Project Plan Expansion Plan Development Workshop organized by CHD and JICA in Baguio City.

With help from Dr. Makoto Tobe, JICA-SSC project chief advisor, the workshop outlined the following specific outputs of the project.

This includes revitalizing inter-local Health Zone and establishing Common Health Trust Fund. This includes enactment of an ordinance to support the facility-based delivery and community health team (and expansion of Philippine Health Insurance (PhilHealth) enrolment in the region.

It also includes implementation of localized MNCHN manual of operation and Maternal and Neonatal Death Review (MNDR) and utilization of a family health diary (localized in the region), monitoring of basic emergency obstetric and newborn care, developing information materials, strengthening referral guidelines, and developing barangay MNCHN health emergency plan.

Re-assessment of facility mapping for emergency obstetric and newborn care, training, improving facility and equipment, and other PhilHealth accreditation systems needed for maternal and child health care would also be done.

Since 2006, JICA has partnered with the DOH to help strengthen maternal and child care in the country’s regions, specifically the Cordillera. DOH has declared the region a priority for health program investment because of its geography and economic disadvantage.

Cordillera has nearly 70 percent of the 1.5 million people belonging to the indigenous ethno-linguistic groups of the Philippines.

Its geographic features also leave many of its communities isolated.

At the community level, many people are also hesitant to seek medical attention because of cultural and religious beliefs, inability to pay for medical fees, and lack of awareness of health services.