LGUs to implement health promotions for healthier PH

By: Jayson R. Aucensillo

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Mar 23 (PIA) -- In spite of the global health crisis, local government units here are encouraged to strengthen and support the advocacy on health promotion for a “Healthy Pilipinas, Healthy communities.”

This is an initiative of the Department of Health (DOH), Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) and multiple health partners, to encourage Filipinos to consistently practice the priority areas towards attaining healthier lifestyle and better literacy.

Through the intensified implementation of health promotion among the LGUs, the DOH is hopeful that these health information could reach on ground for the public’s awareness and interest to practice.

“Basically, these seven areas are your pockets of health behaviors that we want every Filipino from a young, child, adult and elderly to practice,” DOH-Health Promotions Bureau Director IV, Dr. Beverly Ho said during the Health Connect Media Forum.

The seven priority health areas to consider are as follows: Diet and Exercise; Environmental Health; Vaccines and Immunization; Substance Use; Mental Health; Sexual and Reproductive Health; Violence and Injury Prevention.

“With this, we enable Filipinos to protect themselves and their families as stated under the Universal Health Care Act 2019,” Dr. Ho said.

Moreover, she explained as information plays very crucial, the PHAP has joined the campaign against misinformation as this brings huge adverse impacts on the health and lives of the people.

“Misinformation and delivery attempts to spread false information really diminish the gains on public health interventions,” said PHAP Executive Director Mr. Teodoro Padilla.

The health connect media forum is one of the platforms seen to provide verified health information for Filipinos at the height of COVID-19 pandemic.

The award winning communities such as the cities of Cebu, Tacloban, Baguio and the Province of Zamboanga Sibugay, have given time to share their experiences in promoting health interventions at the local level.

“We give recognitions to LGUs because this is a strong message that health should be prioritized since health threats are not over,” Mr. Padilla affirmed.

The PHAP committed that partnership between DOH and LGUs all over the country will continue as they aspire to live no one behind on the way to universal healthcare. (RVC/EDT/JRA/PIA9-Zamboanga City)