DOH Brings Health Fiesta to ComVal

Pursuing the Aquino Health Agenda of universal access to quality health care, the Department of Health (DOH) brings to the province of Compostela Valley its health fiesta caravan, called Lakbay Buhay Kalusugan (LBK), on September 2-3.

 

LBK is a health promotion campaign that advances access to health care for all Filipinos especially those in remote communities, promotes healthy lifestyle, builds public and private sector partnerships, and engages local media for responsible health reporting.

 

“LBK is an excellent way of showing Filipinos that they are drivers of their own health. I invite the residents of Compostella Valley to join DOH in this leg of the journey,” Health Secretary Enrique Ona said.

 

LBK will provide health information and services to over 1,500 indigent residents of the Municipality of Maco, in a festive and entertaining atmosphere. The LBK features a bus that is customized as a maternal and child health and consultation clinic. While given basic health services, mothers, fathers and children are treated to a whole day of entertainment-education activities like an interactive health exhibit, health classes on safe motherhood, child health and nutrition, and family planning, and a variety show of videoke songs and dances, all woven in a typical Filipino fiesta set-up. Fathers also talk about the role of male involvement in family health.

 

“Health is a priority. Having a healthy lifestyle begins by having the right information to influence the right behavior,” said Compostela Valley governor Arturo Uy. Among the messages that Uy considers as essential are pre-natal care and safe delivery for mothers, breastfeeding, complete immunization for children, and birth spacing of three to five years.

 

LBK is on its sixth trip, after its stop-over in the town of Kitaotao in Bukidnon where over 4,000 people from indigenous communities of the Matigsalugs. LBK started its national trip in March in Capas, Tarlac, and has since then visited the provinces of Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Negros Occidental and Bohol.

After Compostela Valley, LBK will go to South Cotabato, Zamboanga del Norte, and Maguindanao. LBK aims to complete this year the delivery of information and services directly to over 20,000 people.

LBK is one of the features of the province’s Family Health Fair.

 

In 2008, Dy named September 3 as Family Health Day in the province. Since then, the province has hosted various health events for the people of Compostela Valley.  The DOH is also set to recognize Compostela Valley as a filariasis-free province, after confirmation by external evaluators of the World Health Organization.

 

LBK is made possible by a partnership among the DOH, the LGUs of the municipality of Maco and the province of Compostella Valley, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and private partners such as the Dona Marta T. Hernandez Foundation of Victory Liner Inc., Melawares, Air21, OMF Literature Inc., Dakila – Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Broadcasting Company, UNTV, Center for Community Journalism and Development, Philippine Press Institute and the Alliance of Young Nurse Leaders and Advocates International, Inc..