The Training of Trainers on the use of Noncommunicable (NCD) diseases flipchart was introduced to barangay health workers (BHWs) and health professionals in Capiz and Aklan provinces. Forty-three BHWs and health professionals, including nurses and midwives, attended the Training of Trainers, which aims to capacitate them in the NCD training rollout in their respective municipalities or barangays.
The NCD flipchart, which is part of the Job Aids of the Healthy Hearts Technical Package, contains information on various noncommunicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension, lung diseases, and cancer. It is one of the tools of barangay health workers and health professionals in the rollout of NCD training across Western Visayas.
According to the 2019 report of the World Health Organization, NCDs are one of the major causes of death in the Philippines. Dr. Philip Ian P. Padilla, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, likewise mentioned that “NCDs comprise almost 40% of the mortality cases in the Philippines in 2021…UPV, with its public health and communication programs, strives to promote the Healthy Hearts Project under the World Health Organization and Department of Health Region VI for the prevention and control of NCDs.”
Barangay health workers play a significant role in the NCD information dissemination efforts. According to Ms. Pedgilyn Rasco from the Aklan Provincial Health Office and the Provincial BHW Coordinator, BHWs are the arms and feet of the Municipal Health Officers (MHOs) as they do house-to-house campaigns and are a source of public health-related data. Further, BHWs also screen/identify individuals who may be hypertensive in a community.
Ms. Irene Felasol, a barangay health worker from Dumalag, Capiz, also mentioned the other tasks of BHWs. This includes the conduct of house-to-house campaigns encouraging mothers to avail of immunizations for their children, encouraging individuals to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and, more recently, surveying those affected by disasters and calamities such as typhoons and flooding.
Undeniably, BHWs have varied tasks and responsibilities. The need for BHWs to be continuously trained is further underscored in this Training of Trainers. Ms. Elnor Candelaria, a BHW from Pan-ay, Capiz, mentioned that the sessions provided her with additional knowledge that she could share with the community. She also expressed optimism that she can conduct the NCD training in her own community using the NCD Flipchart.
The Training of Trainers on the use of NCD flipchart is organized by faculty members from the University of the Philippines Visayas through the University of the Philippines Visayas Foundation Inc. in partnership with the Department of Health Region VI and the World Health Organization Philippines.
