MORE than 5,000 residents of a slum area in Tondo were recently given primary health-care services by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and its local partners, such as the Department of Health (DOH), the City Government of Manila and other implementing organizations.
Dubbed “Healthy at Happy sa Barangay 20,” this series of multisectoral activities was held to bolster the tuberculosis (TB) active-case finding in the country’s capital city and promote the importance of the seven healthy habits to prevent this curable illness.
“We extend our gratitude to the USAID and the local administration of Tondo, Manila for helping the DOH push forth initiatives that promote health and wellness to families,” said DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire.
“Truly, with efforts like these, we are on the road to a Healthy Pilipinas where Filipinos are health-literate and health-seeking individuals striving to achieve optimum health,” she added.
Community profile
CONSIDERED as one of the largest depressed areas in the country, Barangay 20 was chosen by the Manila Health Department as the community-beneficiary for this initiative.
With a land size of 205,800 square meters, this is inhabited by more than 40,000 people.
Apart from its land area and dense population, Barangay 20 was a priority area because of its social and economic conditions, such as the type of houses in the community, and low employment rate, among other indicators.
Series of events
DURING the three-week run of this medical mission, USAID’s TB Innovations and Health Systems and Strengthening (TBIHSS) project set up mobile chest x-ray vans to extend such imaging test pro bono to the residents whose hearts, lungs and bones needed to be examined.
It also joined hands with other development agencies, faith-based organizations, and private sector partners to deliver integrated services under the banner of Universal Health Care.
Other health services provided to the community were free Covid-19 vaccination, deworming, HIV testing and counseling, family planning, and other perks like feeding, Zumba classes, and barangay cedula issuance.
The TBIHSS initiative of USAID supports the DOH’s local communication campaign, “Para Healthy Lungs, KonsulTayo,” which aims to raise TB as a public health priority in the country using social and conventional media methods.
Part of this campaign is an online self-assessment tool (https://tbfree.ph/) to help with identification and treatment of TB, checking for suspected patients, and location of the nearest health facility.
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