The Visayas Primary Health Care Services, Inc. (VPHCS) has continued to work with people’s organizations to develop and strengthen primary health care programs in various marginalized communities in Cebu.
In the urban poor communities of St. Mary Grace in Talamban and Barangay Pasil in Cebu City, Sitio Back of Matimco info in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City and Sitio Salvage in Barangay Looc, Lapu-lapu City, community health workers (CHWs) that the VPHCS have trained are delivering basic and essential health services to the community residents.
The people’s associations include the St. Mary Grace Neighborhood Association in St. Mary Grace, the Pasil Women’s Organization, the Kaming Lumulupyo walay Sandigan (KALUWASAN) in Sitio Back of Matimco, and the Anakpawis – Looc Chapter in Sitio Salvage.
The services include basic home remedies of ordinary illnesses such as cough, colds and fever, herbal medicine processing and dispensing, operation blood pressure, a community kitchen and feeding program, home visitations and health education on common problems in the communities.
The Association Soeur Emmanuelle (Asmae), a funding agency in France supports the activities in St. Mary Grace, Sitio Back of Matimco and Looc. It is also supporting the construction of simple health centers in the latter two communities.
In Pasil, the CHWs are actively conducting information drives and case finding for tuberculosis. Health educations are being conducted on the signs and symptoms of the number six killer disease in the country and symptomatic patients are referred to the local health center for sputum examination.
