TO ensure the appropriate implementation of health promotion programs at the local level, the Department of Health (DOH) – Ilocos Region conducted a 2-day workshop providing local implementers the technical knowledge and leadership skills to address the social determinants of health, create supportive environments, and implement health promotion programs in relation to the Health Promotion Framework Strategy (HPFS).
HPFS is the national health promotion roadmap and the basis for all health promotion policies and programs created by the DOH which outlines the direction, strategies, priority areas for intervention and implementation approach in achieving the Universal Health Care. HPFS shall be implemented with three (3) key strategies namely—healthy governance, healthy settings and health literacy.
“Because health for all begins with health promotion, it is important that everyone especially our local implementers share the vision of DOH—a healthy Pilipinas where healthy behaviors are the easier choice for everyone, every time, everywhere! They will be are our co-creators of healthy settings with emphasis on healthy lifestyle through the practice of the seven (7) healthy habits for the seven (7) priority areas of health promotion” Regional Director Paula Paz M. Sydiongco stated.
“Health is everybody’s concern; it is the responsibility of all sectors of the government, including the Department of Education, who shall lead the creation of healthy learning institutions,” she added.
Health promotion is defined as the process of enabling people to increase control over and to improve their health and its social determinants, which are conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age, it is important that we understand that keeping everyone healthy is a multi-sectoral approach.
The seven priority areas in the HPFS are diet and exercise, environmental health, immunization, substance use, mental health, sexual and reproductive health, and violence and injury prevention.
Participants of the training were able to have a thorough understanding of the main problem in their own locality, identified the root causes and chose the playbook that is appropriate to address their health concern keeping in mind their roles in creating healthy communities, healthy schools, healthy workplaces, and healthy health facilities.
Among the partakers were representatives from Provincial Health Offices and City Health Office of Dagupan City, PDOHOs, including provincial environmental health coordinators, provincial adolescent health program coordinators, provincial nutrition program coordinators, Health Education Promotion Officers of Public Health Units of DOH hospitals, DepEd Regional Office, and program managers of DOH Center for Health Development Ilocos and Health Promotion Unit staff including their deployed Community Engagement Officers.
