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Benguet JICA NewslettersA letter from Benguet No. 2: March 2007
Welcome to the 2nd newsletter published for the Project of Strengthening of Local Health System in
the Province of Benguet! This newsletter has been prepared to share our activities implemented
over the last 6 months.
Health Worker Trained on IMCI
A total of sixty three (63) health workers composed of doctors, nurses, midwives and program coordinators from the different municipalities,
hospitals, and provincial health office of the province of Benguet were trained on the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses
(IMCI). IMCI training is one of the trainings necessary for Sentrong Sigla Level 1 (Phase 2) certification of RHUs, thus this training was
conducted as a priority activity of the project.
Assessing a sick child during the clinical session at Baguio General Hospital
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IMCI is a strategy or approach which addresses the overall health of a child less than
five years old. It is a package of health services which includes both preventive and curative interventions.
The health workers were equipped with the knowledge, attitude and skills on the integrated
approach of managing childhood illnesses among children less than five years old. Common illnesses
affecting children are Pneumonia, Diarrhea, Dengue hemorrhagic fever, Measles and
Malnutrition. Preventive interventions include immunizations, nutrition counseling, breastfeeding,
deworming and Vitamin A supplementation. This training of the frontline health workers
is necessary to lessen the morbidity and mortality of childhood illnesses.
– Dr. Norma C Pacalso (PHO Training Officer)
PhilHealth Resumes CEMAP in Benguet
The PhilHealth Regional Office – CAR through its Benguet Service Office has resumed its Community
Extended Membership Assistance Project (CEMAP) in the various municipalities in Benguet
starting January of this year. Through the financial assistance from the project
and the technical assistance of PhilHealth staff, PhilHealth’s services have been made accessible
to the people of Benguet since members are now able to visit CEMAP Desks which are set-up
on a regular schedule in their municipalities.
Ms. Marilyn Dizon, Market
Specialist at Benguet Service Office
from PhilHealth is actively promoting the enrollment
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Through these desks, members may be clarified on their queries on PhilHealth membership registration
and premium payment as well as other National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) concerns.
JICA has agreed to fund the activity until March 2007. The CEMAP’s primary objectives are
to increase Individually Paying Program and Sponsored Program enrolment in the Province. Mr.
Shuji Noguchi, Team Leader of the project, and Ms. Elvira C. Ver, PhilHealth-CAR Assistant Vice
President, have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement for the CEMAP’s implementation.
Within the first month of implementation, around 74 new Individually Paying members were registered
while surveying of an additional 2,002 families for enrolment under the Sponsored Program
has started.
- Ms. Marah Alagon (PHIC)
Sharing and Learning Together: Study Tour in Southern Leyte
On February 5-9, 2007, some members of the Technical working group (2 PHOs, 8MHO, 4 COHs,
DOH-rep.) with 4 JICA experts went to Southern Leyte to gather learnings and insights in the light
of their replicability and actual application in the Benguet ILHZs. Specifically visited was the Pacific
ILHZ composed of 6 component RHUs, 1 community hospital and 1 District hospital.
Not only “Lakbay”, this is the real “Lakbay Aral!”
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The participants observed a lot of initiatives done by the people of Southern Leyte at all levels
(community, municipal, provincial) amidst various challenges from nature to man-made circumstances,
some of which are also being practiced in our Province.
However, in the context of Inter-Local Health Zone, what is specifically being implemented in
their ILHZ which is not present in the Benguet ILHZ is the implementation of an ILHZ - COMMON
HEALTH TRUST FUND (CHTF). It is however good to note that some of the Benguet ILHZ
opted to do this before but could not have a concrete basis or study to supersede existing laws
governing the disbursement of government funds. Could this be the SOLUTION?
Better understanding of the concepts of the CHTF was facilitated by the Inception Workshop
“Replication Peer to peer Learning” conducted by the key people involved in the Pacific Inter Local
Health Zone – CHTF. It provided the mechanism for the ILHZs to pool and disburse funds in support
of ILHZ priority activities.
– Dr. Mercy Calpito (DoHRep of CHD-CAR)
Equipment Procurement for Better Health Service Delivery
A simple turn-over ceremony was conducted at the Provincial Health Office on February 12,
2007. The Hon. Borromeo P. Melchor, Governor of Benguet Province turned over various equipments
to the Municipal officials, witnessed by their Municipal Health Officers, and to the Chiefs of Hospitals
in Benguet. A total of 39 various equipments were procured by JICA and delivered to
the Provincial Office from December 2006 to early February 2007. Some more equipments are
expected to be delivered at the PHO soon.
Turn-over Ceremony at PHO office
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Prioritization of equipments were based on the requirements of the DOH for Rural Health Units to
be certified as Sentrong Sigla (SS) Phase II and to be accredited by PhilHealth for all the benefit
packages such as Out-patient Benefit Package (OPB), TB-DOTS, and Maternal Care Package
(MCP). Equipments procured for hospitals were likewise based on the requirements of DOH for
hospital Licensure and Phil-health accreditation.
The provision of equipments to the Rural Health Units of the thirteen (13) municipalities and six (6) hospitals in Benguet Province is one of the activities
planned and implemented during the first year of the project.
However, provision of equipment alone will not guarantee the delivery of quality health services.
Quality health service requires capable, committed and adequate manpower as well as well-maintained
facility and equipment plus, of course, the availability of needed logistics. Will we be able to attain
our goal? Why not? So long as all stakeholders join hands and work together towards a common goal, I
believe we can!
- Dr. Esteban Piok (PHO)
View PDF Format (361kb)
Previous Newsletters
September 1, 2006 (426kb)
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