The Tingog alang sa Mamug-naong Bag-ong Alagad sa Panglawas (Voice of the Creative New Servants of Health), or TAMBAL conducted a series of discussions on the recent Dengvaxia issue in various urban poor communities in May 2018.
The federation of community health workers trained by the Visayas Primary Healthcare Services, Inc. was formed in October 2017 to advance the welfare of the CHWs to make them more effective servants in their communities. Through TAMBAL, the CHWs shall upgrade their skills and knowledge, voice out health issues and launch health campaigns to promote the health and welfare of the communities where they serve.
Since most of the communities where they reside have children who were recipients of the Dengvaxia vaccine, TAMBAL launched a survey to determine how many children were recipients and interview their mothers on the circumstances of their vaccination and if they had any problems after the immunization until the present.
Health education was conducted by TAMBAL members in the communities on the issues surrounding the Dengvaxia fiasco, the signs and symptoms of dengue fever, and advise for parents of children with these to seek medical attention.
The forums were conducted in Barangay Ermita on May 17, Barangay Pasil on May 22, both in Cebu City, in Sitio Sawsawan, San Roque in Talisay City on May 24, Poblacion, Cordova on May 26, and Barangay Umapad Mandaue on May 3, 2018. A total of 75 survey forms from mothers of Dengvaxia recipients have been completed.
The group is expected to reach out to more communities in June and July.
