DOST to address Pinoys’ most common ailments

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) wants to lead an evidence-based campaign to address cardiovascular diseases, stroke and heart attack among Filipinos.

Science Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said initial findings of the still ongoing Philippine Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiologic (PURE) study offered some actionable data that can be evaluated to guide health policies in the country.

The DOST, through the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, funded the conduct of the local version of the PURE study, led by Dr. Antonio Dans of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital, that was started in 2013.

The local PURE study, which looks into the Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) among Philippine Urban and Rural Communities, is a 12-year study that will wrap up in 2025.

Dela Peña said the preliminary findings had noted limited access to medicines to avoid CVDs; limited access to medicines for secondary prevention of stroke or heart attack; lack of education on prevention of CVDs as well as other deadly diseases; high “catastrophic expenditures” for families with members with CVDs and high number of families suffering from the high costs of living with CVDs.

Undersecretary for research and development Rowena Cristina Guevara said the DOST will make the most of the local PURE study.

“Working with different countries across the globe, this project aims to analyze and explore the risks of various diseases including diabetes, lung diseases or even cancers among urban and rural communities,” Guevara said.

“Aside from generating data that are directly attributable to Filipino population, (we’re) hoping to contribute to the development of an international calculator of risks factors for CVDs,” she said.

“Ultimately, this will help us in generating evidence informed interventions against these diseases, especially as CVDs continue to be one of the most pressing health burdens here in our country,” she added.