The VPHCS continues its health capability-building project funded by the Bayan Muna Party-List and supported by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in five barangays in Cebu.
The two-year project which started last June 2011, “Building community-based health programs (CBHP) in Cebu through training, education and services,” is implemented in Barangay T. Padilla, Sitio Ermita Proper in Barangay Ermita, and Sitio Lawis in Barangay Pasil in Cebu City, Sitio Back of Matimco, Barangay Subangdaku in Mandaue City, and Barangay Canjulao in Lapu-lapu City. Beneficiaries in the barangays include 310 households in Barangay T. Padilla, 240 households in Sitio Ermita Proper, 220 households in Sitio Lawis, 160 households in Sitio Back of Matimco, and 500 households in Barangay Canjulao.
The project works with people’s organizations in the communities, including the Pundok sa Sitio Para sa Kauswagan (PSPK) in T. Padilla, Ermita Fisherfolks Association in Ermita, Pasil Women’s Association in Pasil, KALUWASAN in Sitio Back of Matimco, and the Nagkahisang Kabus sa Lapu-lapu in Canjulao. They have health committees with community health workers (CHWs).Health skills trainings were conducted for 75 CHWs last year in order to equip them with basic knowledge and skills to render preventive, promotive and selective curative care to the residents. Health education classes were also conducted among residents in the areas to promote health awareness with the aim to empower them in terms of health care delivery on common health problems that can be prevented in the community level. The VPHCS staff also guide, monitor and upgrade the knowledge and skills of the trained CHWs in between trainings as they deliver their health services to the residents. More trainings and health education activities are expected to continue this year.
