By Bernadine Astillero-Gabawan
Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur, January 25 - - A total of 80 health workers attended the 3-day Community Leaders for Health Seminar which was conducted on January 20-21, 2012 at Glupa Gulian Eco Park, Sitio Quibranza, Barangay Kahayagan, this municipality.
Mayor Leonardo L. Babasa Jr. said Dr. Gretchen A. Dubrico, Municipal Health Officer spearheaded the training with midwives, barangay chairman, barangay health workers (BHWs) and barangay nutrition scholars (BNS) as participants in the 3-day activity.
It can be recalled that the municipality of Bayog was one of the recipients of the Feeding Program package from Zuellig Family Foundation.
Facilitators from the Department of Health – Region IX were: Floro B. Fabe, Edgardo Dirige, Cristobelt D. Bermudez, Mary Jane Bernabe, Rico Saquin and from Zuellig : Derkie Alfonso, Rosh Paloma and Helena D. Lago.
Mayor Babasa said the seminar was one of the requirements of Zuellig Family Foundation to its beneficiaries before they will be granted the feeding program package.
In his welcome address, he said the training was designed for the participants to know their responsibilities in this health program thereby find no difficulties in its implementation and other programs to be undertaken in the future.
Among the topics discussed were : Municipal Health Situation, Transforming Systems to Improve Health for All Filipinos, How to Be an Instrument of Health of the Poor in the Community, and other related topics.
The municipality of Bayog will receive from Zuellig Family Foundation through Jollibee Foundation, a feeding program for 200 malnourished children from 5 barangays which will run for three (3) years. The foundation also committed to supply various medical equipments and other health facilities to six barangay health stations in order to fully serve the rural folks.
Completing the health package is the construction of a half-way house which will cost Php600,000 that will serve as a temporary shelter for expectant mothers and their families waiting for delivery. (BAG/ALT/PIA9-Zambo Sur)