As part of its community-based health programs building, the VPHCS staff visited a small community in Barangay Poblacion in the Municipality of Cordova, Cebu last March 7, 2020.
Community residents gathered together and with three staff members of the VPHCS, discussed about their current health situation which were marked with many common health problems such as cough and colds, hypertension and diabetes. The community got interested to have a community-based health program established in their place since there was already a resident who underwent basic health skills training by the VPHCS who was willing to share her knowledge, skills and services to them.
That afternoon, the residents collected lagundi leaves and learned how to make homemade cough syrup by cooking the leaves in water and using the decoction to cook in sugar. They learned that this is an effective home remedy and expectorant for cough and colds.
While the cooking of the cough syrup was ongoing, VPHCS physician Dr. Erlinda Posadas gave medical consultations to those who had medical problems while another staff member, Juliet Abing, did random blood sugar testing with a glucometer. It was noteworthy that of 20 residents who were tested, only two were diabetic and they were properly advised. Another staff member, Lourdes Geolin and Leonora Abera, the CHW in the area, took the blood pressure of the residents and noted that of the three who were known hypertensive, their blood pressure was normal.
The residents went home happy after expressing their hopes to have more of such community health gatherings by the VPHCS in the near future.
