THE Department of Health (DOH), together with other government agencies, presented the new "Garantisadong Pambata (GP)," a child health program that provides immunization, nutrition and environment information and services for children, on the month of October.
The new GP will cover children from birth up to 14 years old. Under the program, health centers will continuously provide health care services for children every day and will promote health behaviors that can be practiced at home, in school, in day care centers and in other settings where children are.
Telesfora Madelo, DOH-Northern Mindanao Nutritionist-Dietitian on Tuesday, October 10, said GP also aim to reach their target for vitamin A supplementation in Northern Mindanao.
Madelo said even though they passed their target percentage of children to receive GP's services, which is 90 percent and up as of the month of April and last year, they still have the remaining six percent of children to reach out to.
"Naa pa tay kulang na dapat i-reach out. Ang kadtong remaining six percent. In terms of percentage, gamay ra sya kay six percent na lang, but in terms of number, dako pa gihapon. Nilibo pa gihapon ang mga bata that needs vitamin A supplementation (We still need to reach out for the remaining six percent. In terms of percentage, six percent is a small amount but in terms of number, it composed of thousands of children that needs vitamin A supplementation)," Madelo said.
Maria Ellen Sautua, DOH development management officer, said the health agency wasn't able to achieve the 100 percent due to the difficulty in accessing isolated areas and refusals from the community or people themselves because of religion or culture.
"Dili ma 100 percent tungod sa access. Katong gitawag nga Gida o Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas, kana nga mga lugar lisod kaayo maabot sa atong mga reporters," Sautua said.
She added that they also send nurses to the areas.
Through the GP, the DOH carried out strategies to support and reach out to families in different barangays.
"Naa tay pirmi nga mga kalihukan nga atong gi-suportahan even sa barangay level para ma-serve nato, ma-reach out nato atong mga target na clients, especially the mothers. Pirmi namo ginahatag og suporta ang pag-conduct sa atong mga health workers sa munisipyo og sa barangay ang kanang gitawag nila nga 'Pabasa sa Nutrisyon sa mga Nanay' (There are activities that the DOH supported under barangay level in order to serve and to reach out our target clients, especially the mothers. We always support the 'Pabasa sa Nutrisyon sa mga Nanay' program conducted by the municipal and barangay health workers)," Madelo said.
She added that trained midwives, school nurses and barangay health workers worked under the said program.
Another strategy is the Behavior Change Communication which uses interpersonal communication and counseling in dissemination of information to those in the households.
Fe Sumagpao, DOH regional coordinator of adolescent health, said midwives should know the exact information to deliver to the clients or the household members.
"Interpersonal communication and counseling na training pud ta na sa atong (were trained to) health-service providers, kanang mga midwives and nurses, kung unsaon pag-istorya ang atong mga clients or atong mga household members. Siguro sa mga barangay health workers ug sa mga volunteers ang atong gi-andam nga mga orientation is interpersonal communication lang, walay counseling (the midwives and nurses, in how to provide information to clients or household members. Barangay health worker and volunteers will only execute interpersonal communication without the counseling)," Sumagpao said.
Other strategies are the family development sessions under the family planning program with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and home management with the Department of Agriculture, wherein the mothers were taught of the proper management setting in a house.
The DOH, assisted by the DSWD, Department of Education, and Department of Interior and Local Government, aims to promote good child health and seeks to empower parents, caregivers and children to become truly health competent through the GP.