CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines (PIA) — The Department of Health Region 7 (DoH-7) is promoting traditional and alternative health care through the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) under its Visayas coordinator, Dr. Jocelyn Abellana who points out that the PITAHC advocates the use of traditional/alternative health care modalities that have been proven safe, effective, and consistent with government standards on health care practices.
PITAHC is a government program set up in 1997 by the DoH to accelerate the development of traditional and alternative health care in the country.
ComPack launched
SIQUIJOR, Siquijor (PIA) — The Department of Health (DoH) recently launched in Siquijor the Complete Treatment Pack Program (ComPack), a medicine access program designed to benefit the Pantawid Pampamilya Pilipino Program beneficiaries.
Siquijor is one of the pilot provinces in Region 7 for this program and the towns of Enrique Villanueva, Maria and Lazi are the target beneficiaries. DoH-7 regional director Susana Madarieta said ComPack is a complete regimen access to cure the top most common diseases in the country - diabetes, hypertension, diarrhea, pneumonia and other common diseases known to contribute to increasing morbidity and mortality and high out-of-pocket spending for medicines and health services to many Filipinos.
I-rice consumption
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL (PIA) — The National Food Authority (NFA) here is targeting coastal barangays in the province where the incidence of malnutrition and iron deficiency anemia is relatively high. The agency is particularly advocating the consumption of iron-fortified rice (I-rice) by children and pregnant and lactating mothers to curb malnutrition.
So far, the NFA has gone to Brgys. Punta Taytay, Banago and Singcang in Bacolod City. Next the NFA here is set to go to the coastal town of Valladolid to conduct supplemental feeding program funded by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
PhilPost anniversary
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte (PIA) — The Philippine Postal (PhilPost) Corporation’s Regional Office 8 headed by Regional Director Edward B. Rojas recently held various activities marking PhilPost’s 228th founding anniversary and Postal Consciousness Week last November 8-11.
The activities included a “Walk for the Post” to promote a healthy lifestyle among PhilPost-8 personnel, a blood-letting activity with the Philippine National Red Cross, and a medical mission backed by the An Waray Partylist, among others.
DOH campaign
ABUYOG, Leyte (PIA) — Some 80 pregnant mothers from Rural Health Units 1 and 2 Thursday joined in Abuyog, Leyte’s first ever Buntis Party, integrating the Department of Health’s new campaign on family planning promoting proper birth spacing of three to five years.
Abuyog Municipal Health Officer Dr. Maria Amelia Gacis said with the call “3-5 Taong Agwat, Dapat,” the campaign aims to educate parents about the importance of waiting for three to five years before having the next child.