Provincial Board pushes ‘preventive healthcare’

Provincial Board Members Victor Maambong and Agnes Magpale called on the doctors, physicians and medical professionals in the Cebu to intensify and support the promotion of preventive healthcare all over the country through an initiative called “Health Education Reform Order” or HERO.

Executive Order 595, or the Health Education Reform Order, signed by President Gloria Arroyo last December, addresses health problems in the country through education programs made possible by the partnership of medical organizations, non-government organizations, local government units, schools and the media.

The EO mandates the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Science and Technology and other concerned educators to upgrade the curriculum of public schools to include preventive healthcare for the most common causes of illness and death in the country.

In a proposed resolution jointly sponsored by Maambong and Magpale, the said program will also have physicians orient public school teachers on preventive healthcare.

They will also help implement a yearly nationwide medical and dental checkup for elementary and high school students as well as teaching and non-teaching personnel all over the country.

“The well-being of our children is of paramount importance not only by our government but to everyone else as they will be the one to run our society in the near future,” the board members said.

“We seek to encourage our physicians and medical professionals to support and be involved with the Health Education Reform Order,” the resolution stated as it is set to be approved in today’s board session.

The medical organizations, including the Philippine College of Physicians, the Philippine Medical Association, Philippine Pediatrics Society, Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology and Philippine Academy of Family Physicians, among others, are expanding the scope of HERO, which presently covers 37 schools and serves more than 90,000 students.

Fernando Ayuyao, president of the Philippine College of Physicians, said HERO is very simple to do.  It takes only the “barkadahan” of medical practitioners in the area, a very supportive LGU, and HERO can be done.

Cynthia Cuayo-Juico of PMA and the Philippine Pediatric Society urged local governments to support the HERO program to service some 19.5 million school children.  — Garry B. Lao/BRP