Youth spearhead health drive in Mindanao

Manila, Philippines - Eight public high school students from eight Mindanao provinces were hailed as Youth Health Champions who will promote health-seeking habits among residents of their respective communities.

Ace Suganob of Lala National High School, Lanao del Norte; Jalilah Jamel of Datu Palawan NHS, Tamparan, Lanao Del Sur; Jenny Referente of Basilan NHS, Isabela City, Basilan; Rubina Sarapuddin of Batu-Batu NHS, Panglima Sugala, Tawi-Tawi; Nur-Aini Yunos of Indanan NHS, Indanan, Sulu; Diofel Lacaya of Bacong NHS, Salug, Zamboanga del Norte; Charel Faith Buot of Laperian NHS, Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur; and Carlo Brylle Delagua of Davao Oriental Regional Science High School, Mati, Davao Oriental topped the Health Quiz Road Show organized by the European Union in partnership with the Department of Health, the Department of Education and the provincial governments of Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Davao Oriental.

The project was launched in March to support the National Health Sector Reform (HSR) Program of the DOH, which seeks to improve the health condition of the population to meet the country’s health-related Millennium Development Goals.

Youths were chosen as advocates of the program because of their love for learning and competition. Armed with new health information, youth were seen to be the best drives for information sharing among their families and communities.

Students from almost all public high schools joined the Health Quiz Road Show – from qualifying quizzes to the elimination rounds in towns and the ultimate competition of the provincial finals.

Some participants took long boat trips just to make it to the finals, with many getting transport assistance from their mayors who were only too glad to have their towns represented in the main event.

Quiz questions centered on disease-preventing and health-seeking lifestyles with focus on nutrition, maternal and child health, health programs and health services for local communities. The provincial winners were named Youth Health Champions of their province.

Tawi-Tawi provincial administrator Kadirie Sahali thanked the European Union for partnering with the DOH and the DepEd. “This is the kind of project that we need. We hail and support projects that help improve the lives of our constituents,” he said.

“We cannot prepare the future for our children, but we can prepare our children for the future,” added Sulu board member Alkraimer Izquierdo.

The EU is currently implementing the Mindanao Health Sector Policy Reform Program, focusing on 14 provinces in Mindanao and ARMM where development support is needed most, and where poverty and health indices are lowest.