AAI Philippines Health Recovery Program
Weekly Update 01: 13 January 2014 Concepcion, Iloilo, Philippines
AAI Health Recovery Team returns to the Municipality of Concepcion, in Iloilo Province, on 9 January after short break to commence our Health Recovery Program, funded in partnership with Direct Relief. Since arriving in the country, program personnel have made contact with key partners in the Iloilo Provincial Administration, Provincial Health, and Concepcion Municipal Health Office (MHO).
BHS rebuilding program
Two Barangay Health Stations (BHS’s) – Bagongon and Macatunao – have been selected in co-ordination with the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (PHO) for rebuilding, refurbishment and equipment supply. Bagongon health workers recently contacted the MHO requesting emergency provision of tarps, as the facility is being flooded in January rains.
Water tanks to be installed at island BHSs – Bagongon, Macatunao, Malangabang, possibly Igbon Island Barangays – have been warehoused at the Concepcion municipal building ready for delivery and installation in coming weeks.
Figure 1: Water tanks for BHSs have been warehoused at municipal building
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Week 1 priorities are coordinating plans with the Concepcion Mayor Mr Milliard Villanvueva, the Municipal Engineering team, and hiring local staff to assist with assessments, quotes for subcontractors, and procurement of building materials. Inclement weather forecast for the month of January will make transporting construction materials and the building work itself more difficult, so the plan is to have materials warehoused and a workforce ready to take advantage of periods of favorable weather.
Priorities:
• Conduct assessments of Bagongon and Macatunao BHSs. • Develop inventory of necessary construction materials for rebuilding of BHSs.
CIMCI capacity building program
The Community Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (CIMCI) for 25 Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), will take place training at the Concepcion RHU on January 27-31. A training team from the Iloilo PHO will deliver the program, based on a UNICEF/WHO training module adapted for the Philippines by the national Department of Health.
Figure 2: BHW CIMCI training will take place at the Concepcion RHU
Key BHWs from island barangays have been identified and selected to participate in the training program. The program will train 25 BHWs, with three BHWs from the larger islands and one BHW from each smaller island selected to attend. Inclusion of Island Barangay midwives to oversee training for their respective BHW’s is also offered and fully supported. Accommodation and logistics will be confirmed this
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week. Inclement weather may disrupt the capacity of BHWs to travel from island barangays to Concepcion to attend the training, and AAI personnel are in the process of developing contingency plans.
We are examining the feasibility and further costing of conducting a second CIMCI training program for BHWs in early February, which would increase the breadth of CIMCI knowledge amongst island BHWs.
Priorities:
• Contact all selected BHWs and confirm availability to attend. • Confirm accommodation and transport for BHWs to attend training in Concepcion.
Primary healthcare support program
The Concepcion Municipality is currently short staffed in this first few two weeks of January, as the Department of Health initiates the rotation and re-contracting of nursing staff for Rural Health Clinics Province wide. Nursing staff allocated to the RHU for 2013 have finished their contracts and the nurses allocated for 2014 do not commence for another week. Therefore, we have been unable to conduct external, mobile clinics and are focusing our support in primary healthcare assistance to the RHU. We are working to hire two national nurses to assist with our primary healthcare support program and will resume clinics in island and mainland barangays as soon as RHU staffing levels permit.
Priorities:
• Hire local nurses to assist with primary healthcare support program.
Contact:
Gavin Humphries, Program Manager +63 906-322-6863 / [email protected]
Emma Childs, Health Program Manager +63 926-618-5541 / [email protected]
Django Merope-Synge, Program Officer +63 927-542-6305 / [email protected]
Report prepared by Django Merope-Synge
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