HAIN News

Catholics for RH hold strategic planning workshop

2010-08-09T14:19:00.002+08:00

The Catholics for Reproductive Health (C4RH) held a strategic planning workshop last June 24-25, 2010 at the Fersal Place Hotel in Quezon City to formulate the group's mandate for the next two years. C4RH is a fellowship of concerned Filipino Catholics, as individuals or as organizations, who affirm that the guiding principles of reproductive health do not contradict the practice of the Catholic faith, and who support the right to reproductive health.

20 representatives from partner organizations in 7 cities, including Davao, Cebu, Iloilo, Legaspi, and Tagbilaran, reviewed and redefined the vision, mission and mandate of C4RH. The newly-stated vision of C4RH is "a fellowship of Filipino Catholics living in harmony with their faith and right to RH", with a mission "[t]o organize and support fellow Filipino Catholics in understanding, appreciating and promoting RH as a right." The agreed upon mandate or major final outputs are: (1) sustained capacity building on RH and Religion; (2) a strong, established and maintained network of fellows; and (3) active and responsive advocacy on RH and religion. HAIN was designated the Secretariat of C4RH.

During the workshop, the delegates also agreed to shorten the official name to Catholics for Reproductive Health (C4RH) and leave out the words "Speak Out! Movement!" for better recall among the general public.

The C4RH National Organizing Committee (NOC) composed of HAIN, The Forum for Family Planning and Development, and the Institute of International Education-Leadership Development for Mobilizing Reproductive Health (IIE-LDM) headed the coordination and preparation for the activity. The Philippine Center for Population and Development (PCPD) funded the workshop.

With a more clearly defined vision, mission and mandate, C4RH will continue to work for the empowerment of Catholics in recognizing that the Catholic faith upholds social justice and human rights, and that reproductive health is a fundamental part of the human right to health. C4RH moves forward and proclaims: "We are Roman Catholics and we support the right to Reproductive Health!"

HAIN staff to attend health activist course in Sri Lanka

2010-07-27T10:17:00.000+08:00

Emily Magharing, one of HAIN's research associates, is attending a short training course of the International People’s Health University (IPHU) of the People’s Health Movement (PHM) from August 8 to 16, 2010 in Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. Entitled "The Struggle for Health," the course is organized by People’s Health Movement (PHM), Sarvodaya (on behalf of PHM-Sri Lanka) and Health Action International – Asia Pacific (HAI-AP).

The IPHU short courses aim to strengthen the global network of people's health activists and enable younger health activists to share experiences, learn from and with each other, and create connections. The topics to be tackled include the struggle for health, working with communities and with grass roots people’s organizations, the social determinants of health, comprehensive primary health care, and the political economy of health. The participants will include younger health activists and practitioners involved with the issues of health, gender and human rights and particularly including those involved in the People’s Health Movement (PHM).

The IPHU organizes short courses throughout the year in different PHM member countries. For more information on the IPHU and the People's Health Movement, visit their websites at www.iphu.org and www.phmovement.org.

A Network of Information for a Collective Action

2010-06-20T09:36:00.000+08:00

It was May 1, 1985 when the first issue of Health Alert newsletter was published. This is where it all started. HAIN then became the repository of health information not just among people’s organizations but also for people in the academe, government, and media. At that time, everything was printed and publications played major role in advocacy; there was still no Internet and access to information was limited.

HAIN’s publications include newsletters, books, and monographs. Some of our publications present results of our research findings and provide documentations of the trainings we have conducted. The publications cover topics relevant to various health aspects from a wide range of social science disciplines and cater to different sectors. These publications reach both local and international communities.

The organization has gained credibility by adhering to its mission of providing accurate and unbiased scientific information. HAIN’s publications are generally reader-friendly; by tapping non-health professionals to write articles, issues are explained in layman’s language. Another advantage of tapping non-health professionals is that they provide a different perspective. Dr. Michael Tan noted that, “may nakikita na issue na nakapaloob sa health na hindi nakikita ng doctors at ibang health professionals.”

Training manuals are also published, including the Resource Center Manual. The manual provides NGOs with tips and know-how on running a resource center. HAIN was also tapped to spearhead the publication of the 2007 UNGASS Philippine Country Report. A four-page popular version was also published to make the report more accessible to the public.

HAIN’s expertise in strategic communication is not limited to publications. With funding support from different funding agencies, HAIN developed several projects to help other advocates from different organization enhance their communication skills. Two of these trainings were the Communicating for Advocacy Project and the Smart Chart Strategic Communications Workshops.

Source: Health Alert Special Issue, May 2010.

HAIN: 25 years and beyond

2010-06-20T08:59:00.000+08:00

The people's health was one of the collateral damages of Ferdinand Marcos's 20-year dictatorial regime. During that period, people were dying of communicable but easily treatable diseases. The health care system was in disarray, with people dying without ever seeing a doctor.

To address the gap, community health based programs (CBHPs) were established throughout the country to provide badly needed medical services. CBHPs were also quick to realize that the state of the people's health was inextricably tied to the prevailing socio-economic and political conditions. Thus, CBHPs also focused on community organizing to empower the people so that they themselves could demand for a just and humane society.

While CBHPs were making head ways in providing medical services to the people and in organizing communities, two areas were overlooked: research and documentation. In an interview, Dr. Michael Tan, founder of HAIN, said that there were a lot of information needs at that time aside from training manuals. Program members brought this concern, which ultimately led to the formation of the Health Action Information Network (HAIN).

HAIN was established to provide quality researches and documentations on health. Birthing pains Like all other non-government organizations at that time, HAIN had to go through a lot of birthing pains. With its limited budget, HAIN first operated with just three staff. To get the office running, second-hand furniture and even resource materials were solicited from friends. Since CBHPs were also not used to research, trainings had to be conducted to familiarize program members.

HAIN also did not anticipate a major political event that would occur a few months after HAIN was established: the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled the Marcos administration. Suddenly, as Dr. Tan puts it, “the term of engagement has changed.” Since HAIN had a militant root, it was initially caught off guard by the sudden change in the political climate. Friends and allies which used to be highly critical of the Marcos regime soon occupied positions in the government. It did not take long for HAIN before the Health Department tapped its expertise on research and documentation. Caught in the euphoria created by the re-opening of democratic spaces for NGOs, HAIN was soon providing vital health information to other government agencies. HAIN had to correct itself and refocus on its original vision of providing reliable information to CBHPs and other grassroots organizations.

Nevertheless, the period provided HAIN with an opportunity to network with women's groups, consumer organizations, and linkages with international groups such as the Health Action International and the Action for Rational Drugs in Asia. While it did went back to its grassroots orientation, HAIN also maintained its working partnership with the Department of Health.

Health Alert Information Network

Containing updates, analysis, and feature articles on different health issues, Health Alert had become a flagship publication for HAIN. For quite some time, the running joke was that HAIN stood for Health Alert Information Network.

Health Alert was first published on May 1, 1985 – even before HAIN had its first office. In the early years, Health Alert was published on a weekly basis. The frequency was soon change to twice a month, but the number of pages was increased to 40. As a testament to the credibility of the information featured in the newsletter, media outlets started to pick articles from Health Alert. In 1995, Health Alert was first posted online by Ken Ilio. The publication eventually underwent a series of changes, but one thing remained constant: its contents should always provide reliable information on pressing health issues.

The publication of Health Alert was halted because of lack of fund, but it was revived in 2003 as a replacement to AIDS Action. The reformatted newsletter became Health Alert Asia-Pacific and it carried health issues with a distinctly regional flavor. The last issue of Health Alert was published in the third quarter of 2009.

Trendsetter

At a time when Rational Drug Use (RDU) and AIDS were still below the radar of NGOs, HAIN was quietly working on these two issues. With funding from Freres des Hommes in Belgium, HAIN started to conduct a research on RDU. The first issue of The Drug
Monitor came out in February 1986, containing information on restricted drugs and diarrheals. It was also in 1986 when HAIN published the seminal AIDS booklet, Choose Life, Fight AIDS.

HAIN also sought to refocus the discussions on reproductive health (RH). At a time when much of the discussions have been strictly focused on family planning and the moral aspects of RH, HAIN reframed the discussions by linking it with primary health care, turning RH into a vital component in the attainment of a just and humane society.

In 2006, Packard provided HAIN with a grant which allows the organization to conduct a series of workshops on Religion, Gender, and Sexuality (RGS) and Spitfire communications. In particular, these two workshops have become brands of sort for HAIN; people automatically equate HAIN with the RGS and Spitfire workshops.

HAIN: Beyond 25 years

Like all other NGOs, sustainability is a key concern of HAIN. To ensure that HAIN would continue to provide quality information, researches, trainings, and publications, the organization opened its Training Academy. The Training Academy is envisioned to provide relevant trainings at a cost to participants.

In 25 years, much has changed in the political and social development scenes. Nevertheless, HAIN has shown its capability in adapting to the changing times without compromising its vision and mission. By harnessing its core strengths, HAIN will continue to exist beyond 25 years.

Source: Health Alert Special Issue, May 2010. Produced as a special publication in celebration of HAIN's 25th Anniversary. For copies of the newsletter, please email hain@hain.org.

New HAIN publications (May 2010)

2010-05-24T16:35:00.000+08:00

Bagong Pag-asa, Bagong Buhay (comics on RH for the community). To help raise the awareness on RH at the community level, HAIN produced a comics in Filipino which covered topics on violence against women, sexually transmitted infections, and family planning methods. To complement the discussions given by the barangay health workers, it is hoped that this resource material could help the people make informed decisions about family planning and other RH concerns.

Keeping the Faith Alive : A Slimbook on Responding to the Challenges Posed by the Catholic Church Hierarchy on Reproductive Health. (by Giney Villar and Corazon dela Paz) aims to contribute to the work of Catholic RH advocates as they bridge the gaps between their personal faith and the work they do—through a series of exercises on real-life situations that require advocates to effectively communicate with facts, composure and with their faith in place.

Bulong ng Panahon (Whisper of the Times), produced by Celso Espaldon of Tubig Kanlungan, is a 15-minuter educational/advocacy film discusses the link between climate change and reproductive health. It focused on the experiences of a selected community in Botolan, Zambales, and how a big calamity and the women’s reproductive health are affected and experienced. It is targeted to raise the level of awareness of women and girls in communities, policy and decision-makers, health workers and program managers.

Tungkol kay Olivia (About Olivia) is , produced by Maricar Vallido (The Forum), is a short film documentary which aims to draw attention to the very alarming maternal mortality rate in the country. The film focuses on the lives of the 11 children whose mother died while giving birth to the 11th child. The video aims to raise awareness on the status of poor urban dwellers that will result in better health and services particularly RH services for women, and establish support from the local government and other key decision and policymakers.

Health Alert Special Anniversary issue highlights HAIN's 25 years of health advocacy.

These materials were made possible through the support of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. To request copies, please email hain@hain.org.

HAIN Celebrates 25th Anniversary

2010-05-23T10:56:00.000+08:00

Our sincerest thanks to all our friends who became part of our 25 years and for continuously supporting all our endeavours.

Happy 25th Anniversary!

Community Health Workers Affirm Role in Philippine Health Care

2010-05-05T10:47:00.000+08:00

PRESS RELEASE
May 4, 2010
For Reference: Sr.Edita Eslopor 0929-2692637 / 881-0910

On May 5, 2010, community health workers representing health programs from Metro Manila and Luzon will come together in an assembly to assess their role in the health care system and to affirm their commitment towards serving their communities. Themed "Community Health Workers: Pagtibayin ang Pagkakaisa Tungo sa Ibayong Paglilingkod sa Sambayanan" (Community Health Workers: Affirm Unity Towards Service to the People.) The assembly will be held at the Philippine Nurses Association, Inc., Malate, Manila.

Community health workers are credible members of the community who were selected by the people themselves to assist them in their health needs. They have been internationally recognized at the 1978 Alma-Ata Conference in Russia as a key in promoting a standard of health and well-being for all people.

Since 1972, the Philippines started developing community health workers to be health educators, health service providers and leaders. Today, the presence of more than 15,000 volunteer community health workers in over 50 community-based health programs nationwide is more than needed, especially in underserved urban and far-flung rural communities, said Sister Edita Eslopor, a Benedictine nun, community health organizer and the Council for Health and Development's board chairperson.

Community Health Workers are trained by physicians and other health professionals from community-based health programs to take history and do physical examination of patients; to prevent and manage common diseases both through Western and traditional healing methods using acupuncture, acupressure and herbal medicine. We also learn when and how to refer patients who require more intensive treatment to the health centers, medical specialists or to hospitals, said Melquiades Yandog, a community health worker from Payatas, Quezon City and president of KilosBayan para sa Kalusugan (People's Movement for Health), an alliance of people's organizations and individuals supportive of CBHP initiatives.

In this assembly, community health professionals and advocates will present CHWs an award in recognition of their noble and invaluable role in the community. Community health workers continue to fight against common diseases; they understand that poverty causes such preventable diseases. They are in communities where it is difficult to travel. Their commitment to serve persists amid red-baiting and danger to their lives, explained Sister Edita.

We will continue being community health workers where the need for our service persists and until health services become available and affordable especially to us poor Filipinos said Yandog.

Community-based health programs staffed by health professionals train community health workers to provide basic health services, to be educators and leaders. In many cases, these community health workers receive no salaries, and rely mainly on contributions from support groups and communities to sustain health services, trainings, and other operational costs.

Puso, Puson, Pananampalataya at Pulitika

2010-05-04T14:03:00.000+08:00

With the upcoming 2010 national and local elections, candidates are being asked of their position on the issue of reproductive health. Apparently, there is a veiled threat that the Church will use the pulpit to campaign against candidates who will support reproductive health programs and services. Catholics who comprised the majority of the voting public must then be given a chance to hear other progressive voices in the Church. In an article, Fr. Joaquin Bernas, S.J. has written a thoughtful and balanced opinion on the danger of the Church’s direct interference in the elections. Other RH advocates who are also Catholics also have a stake in the issue and must make to make their voices heard so as to have an influence on the electorate in this very important issue.

The Catholics for Reproductive Health (C4RH) conducted series of fora from February to April 2010 entitled “Puso, Puson, Pananampalataya at Pulitika” or P4RH.

The objective for conducting this series is to help Catholics make an informed decision on choosing national and local leaders in the coming May 2010 elections. The forums presented a layered and multi-faceted perspective on the issue of how Catholics in good conscience can vote for candidates who are supportive of reproductive health.

The forum served as a better way of reaching out to people around the country, bringing other alternative voices and perspective on the issue. We invited speakers who could enlighten the audience to become more critical of their faith and in choosing candidates to vote. In each of the area, the set of speakers included a respected community leader who talked about the RH situation in the community. A local politician was also included to contextualize the experience of local advocates in championing reproductive health in their locality. Maricar Vallido of the Forum for Family Planning and Development presented facts and figures about how Catholics have been voting in the past elections as well as the latest survey results of how Catholics view RH as an electoral issue. Fr. Percy Bacani presented an alternative perspective from the religious sector on how Catholics can be guided by their conscience in making their decisions.

The forums were held in the cities of Davao, Cebu, Iloilo, Legaspi and Tagbilaran. The group tapped local partners in conducting these forums such as the Development of People’s Foundation (Davao), College of Social Work of the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (Cebu), Office of Student Affairs in University of the Philippines (Iloilo), Bicol Integrated Reproductive Health Alliance or BIRHA (Legaspi, Albay) and Process Foundation (Tagbilaran, Bohol).

Earlier in 2007, the group also conducted the first series of this kind of forum in Quezon City, Cebu and Davao. It was then called “Puso, Puson at Pananampalataya.” This 2010, in time for the national elections, we added another concern (Pulitika) to stress the importance of RH in Filipinos lives, hence, it should be part of the political platforms of the candidates.

Core members of the Catholics for Reproductive Health Speakout Movement consist of the Institute for International Education-Philippines, Health Action Information Network (HAIN) and The Forum for Family Planning and Development.

New material: Bagong Bukas, Bagong Pag-asa

2010-04-19T11:01:00.000+08:00

To help raise the awareness on RH at the community level, HAIN produced a 16-page comics called “Bagong Bukas, Bagong Pag-asa”. This resource material runs stories of a teenage boy and a married couple facing some of the RH concerns. Specifically, the stories tackle issues on HIV/AIDS, violence against women and family planning.

To complement the community discussions given by our barangay health workers, it is hoped that this material can help the people make informed decisions about family planning and other RH concerns.

To request for copies, please write to hain@hain.org or to emilycma@yahoo.com

HAIN's 25th Year Anniversary Benefit Dinner

2010-04-05T14:25:00.000+08:00

You're all invited to HAIN's 25th year anniversary benefit dinner which will be held at the Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman on May 21, 2010. For details, please contact hain@hain.org or nildevera@yahoo.com. See you!

See HAIN's 25 years teaser video...

2010-03-15T11:40:00.000+08:00

Calling all Health Action Information Network former staff, trainors, training participants, volunteers, supporters and friends!

It is with great pride and joy that HAIN will be celebrating its 25th Year Anniversary this 2010. It has been a very fruitful and exciting 25 Years of Empowering Communities through Health Information which would not have been made possible, without the indispensable and key contributions of focal personalities like you.

HAIN proudly invites you to a Night of Friendship and Giving as it celebrates its 25 years of Serving Communities through Health Information. This benefit dinner will be held at the UP Bahay ng Alumni, Diliman, Quezon City on May 21, 2010 at 6:00pm onwards.

Interested parties are requested to please contact Nilda de Vera or Dr. Delen Dela Paz at (63-2) 952.6409 or 952.6312 or send an email to hain@hain.org and to nildevera@yahoo.com

The Faces of Women

2010-03-12T15:04:00.000+08:00

As the world celebrates International Women’s Day, the continuing ordeal of the 43 illegally arrested and detained health workers highlights the plight of Filipino women at the hands of a fascist government. It reveals the faces of women in conflict and in struggle for the genuine liberation of this nation.

On one hand, there are the 26 women detainees, health workers whose only crime is to go beyond just caring enough to cure. They are the symbols of true empowerment: unschooled but not uneducated, marginalized but at the frontlines of healthcare, and poor but with the wealth of heart and sacrifice.

These women, and the men who are with them in their incarcerated lives, have the power rarely afforded today - power drawn from the respect and recognition given by their people. That they are subjected to abuse and humiliation in order to break them is testament not only to the integrity of their empowerment but also to the pathetic feeble-mindedness of their captors.

Then there are the relatives: mothers, wives, and daughters. They are the ones who troop daily to Camp Capinpin, endure the snicker and harassments of the military custodians, calmly listen to the stories of their detained loved ones, and go home to prepare for the next day’s visit. Theirs is the strength without a name.

And then there is Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the woman who represents the prevailing social and sexual chauvinisms of a corrupt, decadent, and moribund system. Hers is a rule dependent on force - the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police - and propped up by her patron, United States-led imperialism.

That Mrs. Arroyo once turned a blind eye on the rape committed by US serviceman Lance Corporal Daniel Smith, and now ignores the mental, physical, and sexual torture perpetrated by her own security forces expose the cultivated prejudice of her detested leadership.

Today, the Filipino nation raises its clenched fist as a salute to the women who continue to oppose the fascist US-Arroyo regime.

Today, the continuing detention of the 43 health workers is a rallying symbol of the historic struggle to reclaim this nation, to attain freedom and democracy.

The cry of people and their immediate demand echoes true: free the 43 health workers now!

Statement on Women's Day, March 8, 2010. Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD)

Global health Risks - Mortality and burden of disease attributable to selected major risks

2010-01-11T10:00:00.000+08:00

The leading global risks for mortality in the world are high blood pressure (responsible for 13% of deaths globally), tobacco use (9%), high blood glucose (6%), physical inactivity (6%), and overweight and obesity (5%). These risks are responsible for raising the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancers. They affect countries across all income groups: high, middle and low.

The leading global risks for burden of disease as measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) are underweight (6% of global DALYs) and unsafe sex (5%), followed by alcohol use (5%) and unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene (4%). Three of these risks particularly affect populations in low-income countries, especially in the regions of South-East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The fourth risk – alcohol use – shows a unique geographic and sex pattern, with its burden highest for men in Africa, in middle-income countries in the Americas and in some high-income countries.

This report uses a comprehensive framework for studying health risks developed for The world health report 2002, which presented estimates for the year 2000. The report provides an update for the year 2004 for 24 global risk factors. It uses updated information from WHO programmes and scientific studies for both exposure data and the causal associations of risk exposure to disease and injury outcomes. The burden of disease attributable to risk factors is measured in terms of lost years of healthy life using the metric of the disability-adjusted life year. The DALY combines years of life lost due to premature death with years of healthy life lost due to illness and disability.

Although there are many possible definitions of “health risk”, it is defined in this report as “a factor that raises the probability of adverse health outcomes”. The number of such factors is countless and the report does not attempt to be comprehensive. For example, some important risks associated with exposure to infectious disease agents or with antimicrobial resistance are not included. The report focuses on selected risk factors which have global spread, for which data are
available to estimate population exposures or distributions, and for which the means to reduce them are known.

Five leading risk factors identified in this report (childhood underweight, unsafe sex, alcohol use, unsafe water and sanitation, and high blood pressure) are responsible for one quarter of all deaths in the world, and one fifth of all DALYs. Reducing exposure to these risk factors would increase global life expectancy by nearly 5 years.

Eight risk factors (*/alcohol use, tobacco use, high blood pressure, high body mass index, high cholesterol, high blood glucose, low fruit and vegetable intake, and physical inactivity)/* account for 61% of cardiovascular deaths. Combined, these same risk factors account for over three quarters of ischaemic heart disease: the leading cause of death worldwide. Although these major risk factors are usually
associated with high-income countries, over 84% of the total global burden of disease they cause occurs in low- and middle-income countries. Reducing exposure to these eight risk factors would increase global life expectancy by almost 5 years.

*Available online PDF [70p.] at:
http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GlobalHealthRisks_report_full.pdf

It's the holiday season!

2009-12-16T10:24:00.000+08:00

Many thanks to everyone who has become part of HAIN's fruitful year. Cheers to a more blessed 2010 to all of us!

The Religion, Gender and Sexuality National Conference

2009-11-16T16:15:00.001+08:00

Anchored on the theme “Reclaiming Our Bodies, Voices & Spaces”, HAIN organized the national conference on Religion, Gender and Sexuality (RGS) last November 12-13 at MMLDC in Antipolo City. About 70 reproductive health advocates graced the occasion, most of whom were training graduates of RGS workshops which HAIN has been conducting since 2005.

The Conference’s overall aim was to provide a stage for further examination of the complex relationship between reproductive health, sexuality and religion. It also provided a forum for an exchanged of each other’s experiences in program implementation and advocacy in the context of RGS.

Rep. Edcel Lagman (District 1, Albay), a staunch RH advocate and author of the RH Bill in the House of Representatives, gave the keynote address. Lagman stressed on the need to counter Church oppositions to advance RH programs in the communities and not be undermined by their issues on morality.

HAIN’s executive director, Dr. Edelina Dela Paz, and a representative from the Provincial government of Rizal gave the welcome remarks.

Resource speakers of the RGS workshops also joined and served as speakers in the plenary which included Fr. Percy Bacani, of the Missionaries of Jesus, Sr. Helen Graham of Maryknoll Sisters and Prof. Yasmin Lao of Al Mujadillah. Other resource speakers who shared about the current issues in reproductive health were Rina Jimenez David (Philippine Daily Inquirer), Ana Victoria Simon (form the office of Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista) and Atty. Claire P. Luczon of Womenlead Foundation, Inc.

Some of the RGS fellows also presented their experiences in RH and RGS advocacy and how they have shared the learning in their respective communities. At the end of the conference, each of the delegates has shared their commitment in advancing RH advocacy amidst the continuing oppositions from some members of the religious community.

To date, HAIN has conducted 10 RGS workshops producing more that 200 fellows from different parts of the country. The RGS workshops were held to give RH advocates some tools for discernment to make informed decisions about gender and sexuality-related issues, including family planning, abortion, and homosexuality. The workshops also serve as venue for RH advocates to be able to reconcile their personal faith with their work.

With pride, we can say that many of the RGS fellows, have become champions of RH as we now become resource persons ourselves in forums and discussions on various RH and RGS issues. Many of us also engage in regional and national campaigns to push for the passage of RH bill and implementation of a comprehensive RH program. The knowledge and experience we have gained from the workshop enhanced our capacity and confidence in facilitating community educations, community organizing and in handling RH advocacy activities.

At the conference, we have reclaimed our bodies, voices and spaces. RGS fellows are now more confident to argue and defend their faith vis-à-vis RH advocacy.

The conference was made to happen with support from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

Youth Declaration at the 5th APCRSHR

2009-10-26T12:59:00.000+08:00

We, the youth1 participants of the 5th Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights, held in Beijing, China on 17-20 October 2009, call upon policy makers and decision makers from government, donors, private sectors, as well as civil society to actively address SRHR of young people as a global goal with specific time bound indicators. 2

We believe that the meaningful participation of young people plays a vital role in improving their reproductive and sexual health and rights. Embracing the fact that our communities are a reflection of the contributions made by each of its members, including young people, we are committed to finding innovative and effective strategies to meet the challenges that all young people are facing in fulfilling our sexual and reproductive health and rights.

We call upon policy-makers, decision makers, governments, donors, private sector, civil society and all young people to make every effort to work hand-in-hand in realizing achieving the goals of ICPD and MDGs' towards creating an enabling environment, so that all young people are empowered to enjoy their sexuality and protect themselves from harm.

ALL PARTICIPANTS OF THE 5th APCRSHR YOUTH FORUM ACKNOWLEDGE THAT:

ICPD PoA and MDGs continue to play a key role in Asia and the Pacific regional sexual and reproductive health and rights movements. Under the above mentioned frameworks, consistent actions of national governments, courageous political commitments, and positive policy changes for population, health, and the environment have contributed significantly to the comprehensive development of young people and adolescents in Asia and the Pacific region. However, we believe that it is necessary to think beyond Cairo and acknowledge the limitations of the ICPD Plan of Action, by pushing for a more inclusive and progressive agenda.

The efforts made to provide integrated reproductive health services and education that are comprehensive, sexpositive, gender-sensitive, youth-friendly, youth-driven, which recognize the evolving capacities of young people are an invaluable investment in the present and future of the region.

DESPITE THE PROGRESS, HOWEVER, ALL PARTICIPANTS OF THE 5TH APCRSHR YOUTH FORUM REALIZE THAT:

Denying young people accessible sexual and reproductive health services and education is a violation of young people's human rights and their right to development, as affirmed by the ICPD and the Beijing Platform for Action.

A significant number of young people in Asia and the Pacific do not have enough knowledge about sexual and reproductive health and rights. This leaves them potentially vulnerable to coercion, stigma and discrimination; abuse, violence and exploitation; unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortion and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

Significantly, poverty and regional disparity in social and economic development is the largest barrier in realizing the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people.
____________ _________ _________ _

1Paragraph 2, Global Partners in Action: NGO forum on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Development
2 Such as the Millennium Development Goals
____________ _________ _________ _________ _____

TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES, WE URGE NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS AND CIVIL SOCIETIES:

To fulfill sexual and reproductive health and rights, as they are an inalienable aspect of young people's right to health.

To recognize that gender affects young people's lives and experiences. Young people, especially young girls are deeply affected by harmful gender stereotypes and gender inequality. Therefore, actions should be taken towards addressing issues due to gender disparities such as child marriage, forced marriage, early and forced pregnancy.

To provide mechanism for easier access to funding and support for youth-led and youth focused initiatives and establish strong and sustainable partnerships between States, decisions makers, international agencies, donors, and NGO's, government, civil societies, and young people.

To ensure the involvement of young people at all programmatic, policy and decision-making and budget planning and distribution at the national, regional and international level.

To invest in young people as a priority in population and development strategies with programming specifically directed at increasing access to information, education, counseling and skills that enable young people to make decisions about their own wellbeing.

Consequently, States should ensure that the different sectors of society are fully informed, sensitized on youth issues and empowered to act in the best interests of young people.

To develop and enforce non-discriminatory sexual and reproductive health related laws and policies at local, national, regional and international levels particularly those concerning young people. This includes eliminating legal and policy barriers, which restrict young people's access to essential services, such as parental and spousal consent, age of consent and issues of confidentiality. Furthermore, to assess the credibility of programmes, ensure transparency, and close monitoring that is driven towards positive progressive results.

To guarantee universal access to comprehensive sexuality education for all young people, and ensure that all existing SRH services are youth-friendly, non-judgmental, recognize and respect diversity and are accessible to all young people, including underserved groups.

WE, THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE 5th APCRSHR YOUTH FORUM:

Commit our individual capacities towards improving the health and well-being of our societies.

Commit to sharing accountability towards protecting the health and rights of all individuals.

Commit to enhance understanding across geographical regions, cultural and religious diversities with a vision to achieve inclusive social development with sustainability.

Commit to continue promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights as a primary component of equal opportunity and human development. We would like to emphasize that many of the mentioned demands have been made at various instances in the last 15 years. This document has to be seen in continuity with those that have come before.

We Commit. We Recommend. We Deserve.

YOUTH DECLARATION AT THE 5TH APCRSHR
BEIJING, CHINA. 17 OCTOBER, 2009

Community organizing: letting the people take charge

2009-09-09T13:34:00.000+08:00

Central to the concept of advocacy is empowerment – the idea that the poor, the uneducated, and the powerless can actually fi nd their voices and their strength to fi ght for their own causes. Wallerstein (1992) defi nes empowerment as “a social action process that promotes participation of people, organizations, and communities towards the goals of increase individual and community control, political efficacy, improved quality of community life and social justice.” With this definition, the task of empowering the people seems to be a daunting one.

And this is where community organizing comes in. Community organizing (CO) involves bringing together people, who, through their proximity with each other or through the same situation they are facing, are banded together by common causes and ideals.

CO is not a one-shot approach; it takes time to build and strengthen a community. Partners in advocacy In her paper, “ Revisiting community organizing and participatory action research,” Dr. Erlinda Palaganas listed knowing one’s self as the first step in CO. According to Palaganas, an organizer must answer the following
questions:

• Do you like working with and for the people?
• Do you believe in people’s capacity to change?
• Do you believe that people have the potentials to contribute to their own development?
• Do you believe that people should be empowered to make decisions on matters affecting them?
• Will you support people’s decisions?
• Are you committed to serving the people’s interest?

In the first step, two things are quite clear: fi rst, ego has no place in CO, and second, and organizer must be deeply committed to the ideals of his or her work. The relationship between an organizer and the community is not one of teacher - student or benefactor – beneficiary. Rather, it is a partnership where they both learn from each other and work together, side-by-side.

Many projects with good intentions have failed simply because the implementers failed to listen to the community. Often, they would bring in new concepts or technology, without validating with the community if these are appropriate and applicable in the local context.

Or worse, they came in with a patronizing and even smug attitude. This is a pitfall for many college-educated health professionals and advocates who may harbor the idea that their education makes them more superior to ordinary people; most of whom probably never finished elementary. Another danger with this kind of thinking is that instead of empowering the community, it will only teach them to rely on dole-outs.

By considering the community as important partners, they would also start to embrace the program as their own, thereby guaranteeing its sustainability. Rather than simply
coming in and giving the community a set of solution to their problems, a good organizer knows how to stand back and let the community decide for themselves. In this way, the community will not look at the program as a mere imposition of outsiders.

Listening skills and empathy are thus important tools in an organizer’s arsenal. An organizer must fi rst win the trust and support of the community. This can be done through constant and honest dialogues with the members and finding out what their issues are.

Integrating with the community is a vital component of CO. Integration entails knowing the community, sharing the people’s concerns, and understanding their perspectives. It allows an organizer to gain a fi rst-hand experience of the situation in the community.

Once a community has been organized, the next task is to identify leaders and train them to build their communications and leadership skills to prepare them for the task of advocating their own causes. Selecting leaders is not arbitrary; the community must also be involved. Leaders do not only come from the ranks of village chieftains or elders, they could also come from the ranks of traditional healers. Palaganas cited the following qualifications and characters that can help an organizer identify a leader:

• comes from the poor sector of the community and is directly engaged in economic production;
• must possess integrity and credibility;
• is receptive to changes;
• must have an analytical and critical mind;
• must be able to communicate effectively;
• must be interested in the upliftment of the community

Empowerment: educating the people
In a training sponsored by the Medical Transparencies Alliance, and which was attended by organizations from Peru and Asia, one of the facilitators pointed out that an organizer/advocate should be prepared to stand aside once the community has found their collective voices.

Some organizations have taken this step further: they actually train community members on health concepts and even certain medical procedures. The Council for Health and Development (CHD), the national organization of community-based health programs in the Philippines, conducts a variety of trainings for its community health workers (CHW), ranging from first aid, alternative medicine (e.g. acupuncture), production of herbal medicines, and basic microscopy, among others. The trainings are conducted by the organization’s network of health professionals, as well as experienced CHWs.

CHD’s approach belies the myth that barely educated people cannot be taught complex ideas, particularly when it comes to health and medical concepts. In many areas in the Philippines where health professionals and health facilities are sorely lacking, CHWs have been a community’s important fi rst line of defense against ill health. More importantly, CHWs are not mere healers; they are also leaders and listeners well respected in the community, to whom the people run to for help.

The politics of health
An organized community is also an active player in a nation’s political scene. Keeping in mind that health issues are also affected by socio-political and economic determinants, organized communities conduct mobilizations to speak up against certain issues. They are keenly aware that health is simply not the absence of disease; it is also a manifestation of the prevailing sociopolitical and economic conditions. They are not passive players, waiting for change to come. Rather, they actively participate in demanding for social changes and in fighting for their rights.

While organized communities do have the clout, they can only wield this if they have the numbers. And this is where networking plays a major part. Networking involves
building alliances with other groups and individuals who share the same sentiments and who advocate the same cause.

Confronting the challenges
Organizing a community entails facing challenges, ranging from opposition, lack of resources, and even harassment. Since CO has a strong political component, it is inevitable that the ruling class may feel threatened and they might act irrationaly just to protect the status quo. Community organizing is indeed challenging, but no task is too daunting for a deeply committed and passionate organizer. An organizer’s reward is the satisfaction of seeing a previously timid community become organized
and outspoken.

Sources:
Wallerstein, Nina. Community Organizing and Empowerment Principles of Public Health. http://hsc.unm.edu/som/fcm/mph/Curriculum/community%20organizing%20empowerment%20
pph%202005.ppt.

Palaganas, Caster. Revisiting Community Organizing and Participatory Action Research (CO-PAR).

By Ross Mayor for Health Alert Asia Pacific, Issue 16. For copies of the newsletter, please request to hain@hain.org

Pass the RH Bill!

2009-09-02T20:14:00.001+08:00

We urge our legislators to pass the the Reproductive Health Bill this year. The link below shows why we need a comprehensive RH program here in the Philippines.

http://likhaancenterforwomenshealth.blogspot.com

Health Alert's last issue out now

2009-08-25T15:44:00.000+08:00

The last issue of Health Alert is a reiteration of the importance of advocacy as a part of any NGO's work. But rather than focusing solely on the basics, the issue also highlights other facets of advocacy, which are often not discussed in full, such as community organizing. The issue also discusses the latest trends, taking into account the advances in the field of technology and how advocates can maximize these. The article, "Navigating the health information highway," discusses both the opportunities and challenges in making health information available. "HealthDev.net - a platform for Citizen Journalism and social networking on TB and HIV issues" introduces a web-based tool, which advocates can utilize to inform and educate the public on key health issues. There is also a sidebar on blogging, which is fast becoming another tool for advocacy. Three articles provide tips on key advocacy strategies. Two of these provide tips on writing and public speaking, while the other one discusses the importance of localizing a content, as well as how this can be done.

Since its launch in 2003, Health Alert Asia Pacific Edition has strived to promote health and development by providing practical information and critical analysis of the issues. We hope that it truly have been helpful in your advocacy, training, and research.

The newsletter’s success has been due to your contribution to the project – articles submitted, information shared, feedback letters – all of these are very much appreciated.

However, due to lack of project funding, HAIN temporarily ends the print production of Health Alert. Nevertheless, back issues of the magazine will still be offered for free to new readers via HAIN and our websites to ensure that Health Alert continues to generate value as a source of best practice and accurate information on health.

HAIN also plans to continue Health Alert in the Internet so that we can continue sharing health information.. In which case, we welcome any health-related articles that you would like to be published online. Feel free to email us at hain@hain.org for any inquiries, suggestions, and message.

We thank you for your support and we offer you our heartfelt gratitude and respect.

To request electronic copy of the newsletter, please write to hain@hain.org or hain1985@gmail.com

Maximum Drug Retail Price: Deceitful and Illusory

2009-08-13T17:03:00.000+08:00

Consumers still have to find out that the prices of medicines in the next few months will remain expensive despite the Maximum Drug Retail Price or Executive Order 821 signed by Mrs. Arroyo last July 27, 2009.

EO 821 is deceitful and illusory. EO 821 will not have a significant impact on bringing down the prices of medicines for the Filipino people.

EO 821 listed five medicines for compulsory compliance and 16 other essential medicines for voluntary compliance to treat hypertension, diabetes, cancer, bacterial infections and amoebiasis. EO 821 stands to benefit the users of these medicines; but it should include more essential medicines that are most widely used and are first-line medicines needed for the treatment and cure of more prevalent diseases in the country. Medicines that should have been included are those needed to treat the 10 leading causes of morbidity and mortality which include respiratory diseases, pneumonia and tuberculosis, among others.

In addition, EO 821 sets the compulsory maximum drug retail prices (MDRP) of five medicines. Price regulation of medicines is a step in the right direction. However, the MDRP under EO 821 is misleading. The mechanism used in determining the drugs for compulsory MDRP has been pegged on the drug originator price which though slashed to about 50 percent is still expensive. Take the example of Amlodipine which is used to lower blood pressure. Under EO 821, MDRP of Amlodipine 10mg is P38.50, about half the price of its originator brand medicine Norvasc 10 mg sold at P77 in a leading drug store. Why set an MDRP for this medicine at this amount when its generic equivalent is sold at P15 at a known drugstore selling generic medicines?

In related developments, private hospitals plan a hospital holiday in the light of the Aug. 15 deadline on implementing EO 821. At the end of the day, hospital holiday will affect patients. Hence, the government must exhaust all means to settle the problem and spare the people another burden.

In the interest of the Filipinos, the list of medicines to be placed under MDRP should include more essential medicines that are widely used. The MDRP should be pegged at prices that an ordinary worker can afford with his meager income. Government should promote and make available quality generic medicines as a viable alternative to expensive brand medicines.

The Filipinos have long awaited relief from the high prices of medicines in the country. Unfortunately, the law failed in its promise of more affordable prices for medicines. Mrs. Arroyo's lack of sincere measures to regulate the prices of essential medicines is in effect an expression of collusion with big pharmaceutical companies.#

This press statement was released August 13, 2009 during a press conference at Tree House Restaurant in Quezon City. The press conference was organized by Consumers' Action for Empowerment and Health Action Information Network (HAIN). For more details about the campaign, please contact:

Eleanor M. Nolasco, RN
Convener, Consumers' Action for Empowerment
Mobile: 0905-3255223

MSMs and transgender tackle HIV-AIDS issue

2009-08-07T13:50:00.000+08:00

HIV infections are on the rise in the Philippines, with 85 new infections registered in May 2009 alone. This is the highest reported in a month, and brings the total for 2009 (January to May) to 322. Most of these cases (88%) were men, with the 20-24 year age group reporting the most cases (29%). Fifty-seven percent of the reported cases came from the National Capital Region (NCR). All cases reported sexual contact as the mode of HIV transmission, with homosexual contact (36%) as predominant.

The other populations at risk from HIV-AIDS include female sex workers and their male clients and injecting drug users. The vulnerable populations of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), out-of-school youth, and street children are also at high risk, and require comprehensive and targeted programmes as well. In 2007, an estimated 7,490 people were living with HIV, up from the estimated 6,000 in 2002.

All the main ingredients for an epidemic are present in the country. First, HIV transmission through unprotected sex accounts for 89% of reported cases. Second, condom use among the most at-risk populations remains below the universal access target of 90%.

Given this situation, the Government of the Philippines and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched a three-year programme entitled “Promoting Leadership and Mitigating the Negative Impacts of HIV and AIDS on Human Development.” Its first project is the 1st National Conference on HIV-AIDS by Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) and Transgender Filipinos, being held July 23-24 at Greenhills Elan Hotel.

This project will define the profile of MSM and transgender Filipinos as well as their changing behaviors. It will also map and assess existing programs, and recommend advocacy strategies and cost. It will further pilot-test these strategies to scale up the national MSM response, including involvement in shaping of policy.

Renaud Meyer, the Country Director of UNDP, said: “This programme demonstrates UNDP’s commitment to contribute to the global response to combat AIDS, which is embodied in Goal 6 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – to reverse and halt the spread of HIV-AIDS and other diseases. Our overall goal is to support improved human development outcomes and contribute to the attainment of the goals of the Philippines’ national AIDS response through comprehensive leadership programmes. This project – which aims to develop the capacity of MSMs and transgender Filipinos as well as their organizations – is a significant step in this direction.”

The national conference fulfills two of the five components of the UNDP programme. These are to provide strategic information and community leadership among MSM and transgender Filipinos, as well as provide knowledge, community, and advocacy to promote a deeper understanding of HIV and AIDS. The three other components of the programme are:

*Leadership for effective and sustained responses to HIV and AIDS;
*Strengthening institutional capacities and partnerships on HIV and migration; and
*Mitigating the economic and psycho-social impacts of HIV and AIDS.

For this programme, the UNDP is working closely with relevant Government agencies such as the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), TLF Sexuality, Health and Rights Educators Collective, Inc. (TLF SHARE), Health Action Information Network (HAIN), and the Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC).

State of the ‘Nanays’

2009-07-24T13:19:00.000+08:00

Anticipating the State of the Nation Address next Monday is another SONA, the “State of the Nanay Address” taking place this afternoon at the University of the Philippines Bahay ng Alumni.

This alternative SONA is born of civil society’s “frustration over the deliberate sidetracking of the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill in Congress,” said Elizabeth Angsioco, secretary general of the Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN), composed of various organizations involved in reproductive health and women’s rights. “We are clueless as to whether the President will acknowledge the importance of the bill’s passage in her official SONA,” added Angsioco, and the “State of the Nanay Address,” she said, is the group’s way of pointing out that the reproductive health of mothers, children, women and men is as important as her other priorities.

Since it’s doubtful if the President will even deign to mention reproductive health in her SONA (she is said to be “allergic” to the term which is commonly used in the United Nations and by the rest of the world), the alternative SONA could also be a way of informing the Filipino public just how mothers have been faring under the Arroyo administration.

It has often been mentioned in this space that an average of 11 Filipino women die every day in this country due to pregnancy and childbirth-related complications. If the kidnap and rape of the young daughter of a narcotics agent can so enrage the President as to make her reconsider her long-standing policy against carrying out the death penalty, shouldn’t the daily, preventable deaths of 11 women move her in equal measure? After all, she is a woman, a mother, and a grandmother. Maternal deaths are very much a part of reproductive health.

Read more...
Source: Rina Jimenez David. At Large. Philippine Daily Inquirer. July 22, 2009

Early marriage: a different perspective for teenage pregnancy

2009-06-30T16:32:00.000+08:00

The prevalence of early marriage in Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in the Philippines is diffi cult to monitor considering that there is insuffi ciency of data due to low rate of registration of births and marriages.

One recent research by Nisa Ul Haqq Fi Bangsamoro (NISA) and Al-Mujadillah Development Foundation (AMDF), which was conducted in Sulu, Basilan, Maguindanao, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Shariff Kabunsuan, has found out that the youngest bridal age is nine. Out of 598 respondents, 17 percent aged from nine to fourteen and 83 percent were at the range of fi fteen to seventeen upon marriage.

At present, close to 40 percent of the respondents are raising one to three children, 27.9 percent with four to six, 19.2 percent attend to more than seven children, while 13.7 percent do not have children yet. This illustrates that the younger a girl marries, the more she will likely to bear many children.

The study identifi ed six determinants on why early marriage is happening in the region. These are:

• religious beliefs
• cultural practices
• economic conditions
• personal circumstances
• forced/arranged marriage,
• and political reasons.

Many consider early marriage as a protection against Zina (extramarital and premarital sex) and is perceived to be an effective way in following the Sunnah (the way and the manners of Prophet Mohammad). This is also to preserve the chastity of women to protect the family’s honor. In addition, there is also a widespread perception that women are weak and in need of protection. Forty-one percent of the respondents have revealed that they were motivated by the idea that the husband
would be a good provider and 30.10 percent confessed that a dowry was seen as an economic opportunity. More than half of the girl-brides who admitted having romantic
relationships with their would-be husbands said that peer influence and the need to escape from parental control have been factors in the decision to marry early.

Majority of the respondents (86.2 percent) said that their marriages were arranged while 34 respondents confided that they were abducted. A small percentage cited political reasons and these are: to forge political alliances and settle family disputes.

The prevalence of early marriage in ARMM can be a major possible reason why this region has one of the highest maternal mortality rate (MMR) in the Philippines.

Article by Amanah Lao. The article is published in Health Alert Asia Pacific newsletter (Issue 15) by HAIN. For copies of the newsletter, please write to hain@hain.org

Searching JSTOR through HAIN

2009-05-28T15:16:00.000+08:00

Health Action Information Network is currently subscribing to JSTOR, an online digital archive of academic journals, scholarly works and other materials needed for research and teaching. Mainly covering Arts and Sciences, the collection includes core journals in economics, history, political science, and sociology, as well as in other key fields in the humanities and social sciences. This collection also contains titles in ecology, mathematics, and statistics. Overall, there are 119 titles in twenty-one disciplines. Example of titles include-

· Annual Review of Sociology
· Anthropological Review
· Anthropology Today
· Applied Statistics
· Current Anthropology
· Demography
· Family Planning Perspectives
· International Family Planning Digest
· International Family Planning Perspectives
· International Family Planning Perspectives and Digest
· Journal of Health and Human Behavior
· Journal of Health and Social Behavior
· Journal of the History of Ideas
· Man
· Population and Development Review
· Population Index
· Population Literature
· Population Studies
· Population: An English Selection
· Studies in Family Planning
· World Politics

How to Access JSTOR Collection
The collection is available to development partners of HAIN by sending an email request on specific topics or journal articles that you wish to search. Our staff will conduct the research and will deliver the materials to you online at no cost. Charges will apply to those who are requesting for printing and mailing.

For more information, please contact Emie or Tere at 952-6409 or 952-6312
Or email us at emie.devera@hain.org, noemi.leis@hain.org, tere.godito@hain.org

Influenza A (H1N1) Brief Situation Report for Partners in the Philippines

2009-05-27T11:22:00.000+08:00

(Click on image to enlarge)

WHO Philippines
Influenza A (H1N1) Brief Situation Report for Partners in the Philippines
Number 28, 25 May 2009

Updates as of 10 AM, 24 May 2009 (figures may change due to the rapidly evolving situation)

Department of Health announces the country’s second confirmed case in a 50-year old female with history of travel to the US
People are advised to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water on a regular basis and should seek medical attention if they develop any symptoms of influenza-like illness (fever, cough, runny nose, body aches)
Individuals who are ill should delay travel plans and returning travelers who fall ill should seek appropriate medical care.
The practice of good health habits including adequate sleep, eating nutritious food, and keeping physically active are some of the general preventive measures for influenza.
The Lancet announced the launching of its H1N1 Flu Resource Center at www.TheLancet.com/H1N1-flu , a microsite for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and health care professionals.

WHO Actions
Published Clinical Management of Human Infection with new influenza A (H1N1) virus; initial guidance: http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/swineflu/clinical_managmentH1N1_21_May2009.pdf
The WHO library has shared more scientific information on Influenza A(H1N1) with this link: http://atoz.ebsco.com/CustomTab.asp?id=10243
The document "WHO technical advice for case management of Influenza A(H1N1) in air transport" has been posted on web site (http://www.who.int/ihr/ports_airports/en/index.html).
Instructions for storage and transport of suspected or confirmed influenza A (H1N1)
human and animal specimens and virus isolates
http://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/swineflu/storage_transport/en/index.html
The latest WHO recommendations and situation updates can be found at http://www.who.int/ and at http://www.wpro.who.int/philippines

HAIN in Ilocos

2009-05-25T16:00:00.000+08:00

PhilHealth Update

2009-05-25T15:39:00.000+08:00

Here’s a pop quiz to check your knowledge about PhilHealth, our national health insurance system. Give your answers to the following questions, then read on to find out which of them you got right.

Can domestic employees (your yaya, driver) be enrolled? Can a sidewalk vendor enroll herself? What about overseas Filipino workers? Can an illegitimate child be a beneficiary?

I recently had to call a friend, Dr. Madeline Valera at Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to ask some of those questions and ended up with a lot of information that I thought I should use two columns to share with readers. Dr. Valera, senior vice president for health finance policy, is proud of what PhilHealth is doing right now, but she is also full of dreams around how PhilHealth could do more.

Social solidarity

For all the cynicism people have about our public health care system, I have to say PhilHealth does make a difference. It’s evolved through the years, expanding the number of medical procedures that are reimbursable and extending PhilHealth to self-employed people and the informal sector.

Before we go into specifics about who and what can be covered, I did want to talk a bit about the principles that guide public health insurance, which will allow me to push readers to explore how they can use PhilHealth to help others.

Government health care systems vary across the world, the strongest ones built on a national health care system financed by government, through contributions of its citizens. Many European countries use such a system, with citizens paying a fixed amount of their income, ranging from 7 percent to 12 percent, going to the national health service. That percentage may seem high but in those countries people do get many benefits—for example, paying a fixed price for each prescription (regardless of the type of medicine), and getting almost all hospital services for free. They even get a transportation allowance!

Our system, unfortunately, is more closely patterned after the United States’, where health care is left largely to the private sector and, supposedly, free-market competition. The assumption here is that competition leads to better health care.

In a way, that assumption is true . . . but only if you can afford the private hospitals. If you can’t, then you better have coverage from health maintenance organizations (which we have as well in the Philippines) but which have many limitations, including the cost of premiums. The last resort you have in such a system would be government health insurance and public institutions but in both the US and the Philippines, even that system is inaccessible.

Health insurance is based on social solidarity, the rich paying more to help the poorer members of society. Not only that, there is solidarity in the sense that young, healthy people pay for the greater health risks of children, the elderly, the chronically ill (e.g., someone with a very serious kidney disease), and the disabled. Social solidarity through health insurance becomes even more important in times of a financial crisis. Just think, for example, of the overseas workers losing their jobs abroad and coming home with some savings that can be wiped out completely with one major illness.

The financial crisis has certainly made Americans rethink their health care, wondering if maybe a bit of “socialistic” health care might not be too bad. Public health insurance does benefit individuals and society. After all, if you don’t do your share to help take care of the elderly or the poor, then you still end up losing because the entire country ends up with too many unhealthy people. That’s actually what’s happening in the Philippines, with the poor having to run to politicians for doles (which actually come from our taxes), or to richer relatives and kinder employers, as many of my readers have experienced. In all these cases, the help is limited and can pay only for substandard care, sometimes leading to even more expenses.

Who can enroll?

Who can enroll in PhilHealth? The answer is simple: anyone can, as long as you pay the premiums, which are based on income and range from P100 to P750 a month. You can be self-employed as a sidewalk vendor, in which case you pay the total premium yourself; or you can be a corporate executive who will pay P375 a month while your company pays another P375. Overseas workers can also enroll, and this is important for the families they leave behind, as well as for themselves, because hospitalization expenses incurred overseas can also be reimbursed, subject to certain limitations.

There is a cap on monthly premiums, meaning the rate is the same for anyone with a monthly income of P30,000 and above. This cap has been criticized by the likes of former health secretary Alberto Romualdez, and rightly so since in a way those earning P30,000 a month are actually subsidizing someone earning P300,000 a month.

What you do need to know is that paying premiums for a quarter, which is the minimum, doesn’t automatically allow you to reimburse medical expenses. Self-employed PhilHealth members need to have paid a year’s premiums while those who are employed by someone else need only to have paid six months. Those sponsored by local governments units (many politicians offer such sponsorship for a few months or a year, especially as elections approach) or who are overseas workers and pay premiums on an annual basis are entitled to benefits right after enrollment.

These differences are important. If you’re self-employed then, you cannot just enroll in PhilHealth when you find yourself pregnant, hoping to have your hospital delivery covered. But if you are working for someone, and have been remitting premiums for at least six months, you are covered.

This takes us to potential beneficiaries. PhilHealth’s enrollment forms emphasize that you can only enroll someone you are married to, described in Tagalog as “tunay na asawa,” as long as he or she is not a PhilHealth member. You can also enroll children below the age of 21, whether they are legitimate (“anak na galing sa tunay na asawa”) or illegitimate, unemployed and single. (Those distinctions are important: that means if you have an 18-year-old child who is married, he or she will have to take out Philhealth individually. ) PhilHealth also allows children over the age of 21, but who have a congenital disability, to be covered as a parent’s beneficiary.

Finally, a PhilHealth member can enroll their parents (as well as step-parents) who are over the age of 60, who are not PhilHealth members and who earn less than P1,000 a month. Note that someone over the age of 60 and made 120 monthly contributions to PhilHealth will now be covered for the rest of his or her life, without paying any more premiums.

By Michael Tan, Pinoy Kasi, Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 20, 2009

PhilHealth coverage and ‘folk illnesses’

2009-05-25T15:33:00.000+08:00

Last Wednesday I explained why we need a government health insurance system like PhilHealth, and who can become members and beneficiaries. Today we’ll go into some of the medical expenses that can be covered.

The information I’m using comes mainly from Dr. Mads Valera, the senior vice president for health policy at Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) , who very kindly gave me three hours to run through some of the more important benefits. We also had some interesting discussions about bangungot [nightmare] possibly being a genetic problem, and which I’ll share in a future column. (If you need some information right away, you can look at my book, “Revisiting Usog, Pasma, Kulam.”)

Last Wednesday I gave a pop quiz eligibility for PhilHealth membership. Let’s do another pop quiz about coverage. Which of these are covered by PhilHealth: natural deliveries, dialysis, cataract operations, liposuction? Let me make it more difficult by asking if usog, pasma, kulam and bangungot are covered.

Usog and other “folk illnesses” are not covered by PhilHealth unless two important conditions are fulfilled. First, your physician must give a diagnosis for a condition that is recognized by Western medicine and by PhilHealth (e.g., bangungot might actually be a heart problem called “long QT syndrome,” but then that syndrome still isn’t recognized by PhilHealth); and second, your expenses for treating the recognized illness must be incurred during hospitalization, and this can include room and board, some diagnostic procedures and medicines.

Maternity packages

Let me give you the answers now to the other questions in the pop quiz.

For a long time, only caesarian deliveries were reimbursable, a policy which was criticized because it seemed to encourage both patients and obstetricians to go for a caesarian even if it was not necessary.

PhilHealth has since modified that policy, offering a “maternity care package” that includes “spontaneous natural deliveries.” The package is for P4,500, with plans to increase this to P6,500. The package can be used both in hospitals as well as in accredited lying-in clinics, but not for home deliveries.

The expansion to include lying-in clinics is a welcome one because many low-income Filipinos prefer going to a lying-in clinic, which is cheaper than a hospital. The P4,500 reimbursement goes a longer way to cover costs incurred in a clinic rather than in a hospital.

In principle, the maternity package can cover pre- and post-natal care as well, but PhilHealth is still fine-tuning how this can happen, and what would be included for pre- and post-natal care.

Let’s move on with the pop quiz. Yes, hemodialysis is covered if it is used for end-stage renal disease. In terms of reimbursement payments made by PhilHealth, hemodialysis was in fact at the top of the list in 2008. (In terms of actual payments though, caesarian deliveries topped the list, PhilHealth paying out P2.6 billion.)

Cataract removal? Again, yes, this is covered, and is an important benefit for the elderly.

Cosmetic vs reconstructive

Finally, liposuction. Even if the liposuction is conducted in a hospital, technically, it would not be covered because cosmetic procedures are not covered. Note though that some “reconstructive” procedures are covered. PhilHealth uses the definitions of the Philippine Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery to make the distinction: “Cosmetic surgery is surgery performed primarily to improve or change a person’s appearance, which is already normal but may not conform to one’s self image. In contrast, reconstructive surgery is performed primarily to improve or correct body deformities resulting from trauma, disease or birth defects.”

Here’s a concrete example of how this distinction is made: silicone breast implant would not be reimbursable if done only for “cosmetic” purposes, but if it is done after the removal of breasts (e.g., in cancer), it would be considered “reconstructive.”

PhilHealth relies on medical specialists to draw up guidelines to what illnesses and medical procedures can be reimbursed, and it’s almost fascinating to look at how they evaluate the cases.

There are many debates on what procedures should be covered. Cosmetic procedures are not reimbursable because they’re considered too much of an individual concern, without any life-threatening implications. In richer countries though, some cosmetic procedures are allowed—even sex reassignment, for example—because the low self-esteem of the individual might lead to serious depression, or even suicide.

Rare illnesses are also generally excluded in PhilHealth, but one could argue, too, that precisely because they’re so rare, and expensive to treat, society should help the patient and his or her family.

For a country like the Philippines, priorities need to be built around what’s most needed by the majority of the population, and right now that would mean the poor. PhilHealth’s important “if” for reimbursement is hospitalization and this ends up excluding many basic medical procedures that the poor need. For example, I was asked for help recently by an employee whose father was having problems with urination. The urologist had ordered ultrasound to determine if there were stones or not, and a PSA to see if there was prostate cancer. The family could not afford the procedures, but asked around and were told that if they checked into a hospital, the procedures could then be performed and reimbursed through PhilHealth. It’s a roundabout way, and risky in the sense that they could incur more expenses around the hospitalization than PhilHealth will cover, but that’s how health care works (or doesn’t work) in our system.

PhilHealth helps to make it easier to survive in our system, but we need to do our part as well, making sure our employees, including household help, are covered. Meanwhile, expect more voices to be heard from socially-oriented physicians to continue to expand PhilHealth’s coverage. With elections around the corner, we might want to pressure politicians as well to be clear on how they view PhilHealth’s role.

By Michael Tan, Pinoy Kasi, Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 22, 2009

HAIN joined 2009 AIDS Candlelight Memorial

2009-05-18T14:09:00.000+08:00

Quezon Memorial Circle, May 15, 2009

2009-05-15T10:48:00.000+08:00

RGS Level 2

2009-05-13T13:00:00.000+08:00

HAIN conducted the Level 2 workshopn on Religion, Gender and Sexuality (RGS) at Hotel Elizabeth in Baguio City last May 2-4. Nineteen RGS fellows from NCR, Visayas and Mindanao joined the workshop together with resource speakers which included Dr. Mike Tan, Fr. Percy Bacani and Dr. Caster Palaganas.

The RGS level 2 workshop was designed to:
* Discuss current updates on issues relating to RGS
* Identify bottlenecks in advocating RH in the communities
* Formulate possible strategies to advance RH advocacy and services in the communities amidst Church objections
* Recognize lessons learned from various groups in advocating RH vis-a-vis religion issues
* Design training modules to educate RH and RGS issues in different community settings or sectors
* Formulate a strategic plan on how they will use the modules in educating their respective communities/sectors on RGS issues and concerns

Kalusugan Ko, Karapatan Ko: Antipolo City Health Workers Training-Workshop

2009-04-01T12:08:00.000+08:00

HAIN has trained health workers of Antipolo City on Antipolo gender, sexual and reproductive health concepts and principles in relation to primary health care approach.

A total of 49 participants from 16 barangays of Antipolo City gathered in a training workshop last March 2009 at Loreland Farm Resort, Antipolo City. This lived-in activity aims to build the capacity of barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholars, nurses and midwives on topics related to reproductive health.

The participants were divided into batches. First batch of health workers attended March 12-14, 2009 were from District 1 -Barangays Bagong Nayon, Beverly Hills, Inarawan, Mambugan, Mayamot, Muntindilaw, San Isidro and Sta. Cruz. It was followed by second batch last March 19-21, 2009 from Barangays Calawis, Cupang, Dalig, Dalig, Dela Paz, San Luis, San Jose, San Juan and San Roque.

Both trainings included lecture discussions on gender, international mechanisms related to sexual and reproductive rights, principles of primary health care, adolescent reproductive health, STD, HIV and AIDS, natural fertility management, modern family planning methods and interactive workshops on leadership skills and communication strategies. The participants are expected to echo their learning in their respective communities.

HAIN organized the event with support from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, in collaboration with the City Health Office. The Provincial Government of Rizal had extended their support with the presence of Vice-Governor Francisco San Juan, Jr. and local officials of Antipolo City as represented by Councilor Marino Bacani, Kagawad Toriano Garcia (in behalf of Brgy. Captain Leyva) and Mr. Rowell Macapagal (in behalf of Mayor Leyble) from City Social Welfare and Development Office.

The said activity is part of HAIN’s on-going project in Antipolo that aims to develop baseline information on health issues, program intervention and strategies towards information and education on primary health care and reproductive health among Antipolo residents. As part of this project, HAIN conducted a community needs assessment in Antipolo last year to assess the training needs of the health workers as well as information needs of the community.

10 Reasons Why You Should Kick the Habit of Smoking

2009-03-02T12:00:00.000+08:00

Without doubts, smoking cigarettes continues to be blamed for major respiratory illnesses. Margaux Salazar’s 100 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD KICK THE HABIT enumerates the types of smoker:

* Fiddler: uses cigarettes to give him/her something to do with his/her hands.
* Nervous Type: uses cigarettes to hide feelings of anger, fear, or frustration (though it never solves any problem).
* Habitual Type: has the unconscious habit of having a cigarette in his/her mouth but gains no real pleasure.
* Pleasure Seeker: tries to create a plus pleasant feeling when driving, eating, etcetera, where he/she can’t find substitutes thereof.
* Real Addict: has physical craving that increases with more cigarettes.
* Pep Craver: tries to use cigarettes as a stimulant to get him/herself going-a “lift”.

Out of 100, Salcedo cited ten reasons why this habit must be (gradually) stopped:
* Every cigarette you smoke takes ten minutes off your life.
* Each cigarette makes fatty deposits stick in your arteries. It disrupts your blood vessels. It leads to high blood pressure.
* It may lead to cancer of the mouth. It may lead to cancer of the larynx which surfaces to the neck and spreads to lymph glands. Most laryngeal cancers begin near the vocal chords, causing hoarseness and other changes in the voice.
* It increases the risk of gum disease and tooth loss thus, damages teeth and causes bad breath. It dries the skin thus, lowers the amount of nutrients for the skin and lessens the protection from skin-damaging agents.
* Tobacco is the world’s leading cause of death, followed by lower respiratory infection and AIDS.
* In the Philippines, ten Filipinos die by the hour of tobacco-related diseases. It is estimated that 20,000 Filipinos die each year due to smoking-related illnesses and this is expected to rise steadily over the next few years.
* A smoker more than 40 years old with one or more of the following: chronic cough, lots of phlegm, and breathlessness may be suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Women with COPD are most likely to die than men.
* It can cause impotence. The other reproductive side effects of smoking include menstrual problems, reduced fertility, and premature menopause. Women smokers have an increased risk of cervical and vulvar cancer. They also have lower fertility rates. Those who use oral contraceptives at the same time are up to 40 times more likely to have a heart attack.

Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke among pregnant women are a major cause of spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). It increases the risk of low-birth weight babies and health and developmental problems.

According to the American Council on Science and Health, smoking during pregnancy has been recognized as the single most important determinant of poor fetal growth in the developed world.

* Women who stop smoking reduce their risk of dying prematurely. Ten to 15 years after quitting, a female ex-smoker’s risk of stroke is almost equal to that of a woman who never smoked.

* Spouses of smokers have an approximately 30 percent increased risk of lung cancer.

Although non-smokers get lung cancer, the risk is about ten times greater for smokers.

Passive smoking is known to cause fetal growth impairment, infant, bronchitis, pneumonia, and middle ear disease in children. Exposure to smoke is responsible for up to 13 percent asthma cases, 13 percent of ear infections, and 20 percent of all lung infection in children under five.

In the first twenty minutes after quitting, the blood pressure returns to normal and circulation improves in hands and feet. After eight hours, the oxygen levels in the blood normalize and chances of heart attack drop. At 24 hours, carbon dioxide is eliminated from the body and the lungs start to clear out mucus and other debris.

Two days later, nicotine is no longer detected in the body and the ability to taste and smell is improved. Within 72 hours, breathing becomes easier and energy levels increase. On the second to 12th week, the blood circulation improves. Then breathing improves after three to nine months.

If you are smoke-free for five years, the risk of heart attack drops to half of that of a smoker and if you reach ten years, the risk of lung cancer drops to half and the risk of heart attack falls to the same level as a non-smoker.

Citation:
Salazar, Margaux. “100 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD KICK THE HABIT”. Style Weekend: December 26, 2008, pages 15-17.

Consumers’ Action for Empowerment Launched

2009-02-25T12:06:00.000+08:00

February 20 marked the successful launching of Consumers’ Action for Empowerment at Sulo Hotel with thirty-four organizations, five community health associations, and at least four groups from media as attendees.

Shortened for Consumers’ Action, this group stresses the need to unite and assert for the people’s right on access to safe, affordable, quality, and effective medicines. The group believes that it is high time for the creation of a consumers’ group to be participated by community leaders, people’s organizations, hospital workers, advocates, religious institutions, teachers, women’s groups, and consumers in light of the passage of Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008 (RA 9502).

Dr. Eleanor A. Jara, member of Consumer’s Action Secretariat and Executive Director of CHD, remains “not very optimistic” and reckons in a statement the inherent flaws of RA 9502:

The law failed to dismantle foreign control over the drug industry which is one of the reasons why millions are unable to buy life-saving essential meds because of exorbitant prices. Multinational companies dictate high prices through the World Trade Organization – Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement (WTO-TRIPS).

There is no true local drug industry in the Philippines. Local manufacturers can only produce 200 kinds of essential medicines despite the fact that 80 % of the more than 17,000 registered drugs are already off-patent. Instead of developing the local drug industry, the government encourages parallel importation which promotes the policy of dependence and which can eventually kill the local drug manufacturers.

Despite the clamour and strong recommendation of the health sector representatives and people’s organizations, the law omitted the creation of a Drug Price Regulatory Board which could have been ensured the democratic representation of consumers and other stakeholders.

‘Strengthening’ BFAD by leaving it to generate its own income with the goal of cutting it off from the national budget is tantamount to government reneging on its obligation and makes BFAD more vulnerable to private interests and influences.

The said group, which is spearheaded by Council for Health and Development (CHD), Health Action Information Network (HAIN), Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD), Health Students’ Action (HSA), Community Medicine Foundation (COMMEDF), Kilos Bayan Para sa Kalusugan, and MEDHERBAL PHARMACY, shall act as a watchdog of consumers on accessibility of safe and essential medicines including drug price monitoring on a nationwide scale and networking with other concerned groups and individuals.

Minding Mental Health

2009-02-11T10:39:00.000+08:00

On the positive side, the global community’s understanding of different mental illnesses have grown by leaps and bounds. Unlike in the early centuries where mentally-impaired patients were either tortured, imprisoned, or killed on the wrong belief that the person was possessed by evil spirits, there is now a growing awareness that people suffering from mental disability needs treatment and care.

And now, for the not-so good news. Despite the advancements in the fi eld of mental health, a large percentage of the global population still has no access to treatment and care. In addition, the number of people suffering from certain mental illnesses is expected to sharply rise in the years to come. These issues are discussed in the editorial, “Untangling the mental haywire,” which also looks into the relatively new phenomenon of Internet addiction.

Suicide is a pressing mental health concern and this is discussed in the article “Intended death: a look at suicidal behavior.” The sidebar shows how health workers and advocates can tap the media in preventing suicides, not just in providing the public with information but also through the responsible coverages of suicide cases.

In conflict-ridden areas, much of the intervention focuses on the physical health of the civilians, but the article “The hidden battlefi eld” shows a neglected area of concern - mental health. The article details how the stressors generated by wars affect the mental health of both the civilians and combatants.

“Community-based mental health programs: back to basics” shows how the implementation of community-based programs can help bridge the treatment gap in developing countries.

It provides tips on how to implement a community-based program, as well as examples from three countries which have tapped the involvement of the community and the family in caring for a patient.

The last article, “Crash and burn” looks into the mental health of NGO staff and humanitarian aid workers, whose needs have been largely overlooked as they go about the business of helping other people.

Source: Issue No. 14, Health Alert Asia Pacific
HAIN will post the articles inside this issue separately. If you like to request for copies of the newsletter, please email hain@hain.org

Primary health care-based approach to sexual and reproductive health and rights

2009-01-30T16:15:00.000+08:00

As we celebrate the 30th year anniversary of the Alma Ata declaration on Primary Health Care, and as the debate on reproductive health continues, HAIN is proud and happy to publish this material entitled, “Primary Health Care Approach to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.”

The comprehensive primary health care (PHC) approach articulated at Alma Ata remains as relevant today as it was 30 years ago. Certainly, sexual and reproductive health and rights are integrated in the concepts of primary health care.

The PHC approach has provided the shift in perspective from a medicalized and biomedical framework to a more sociopolitical-cultural and biopsychosocial approach to health.

The principles of PHC clearly embody the role of social determinants in health, ie, poverty, inequity, social injustice, as factors lying outside the medical and public health services that strongly determine health. As we look at the experiences of countries, it is evident that countries which achieved the more lasting improvements in health were those with a commitment to equitable development.

It is on these premises that the focus on sexual and reproductive health should not be on population control or sex act itself (as is the direction of the current debate), but on population as it relates to poverty, environment, education and other social issues. The campaign for the recognition of sexual and reproductive health and rights should be seen in the over all pursuit of human rights, including the right to health and the right to development. These rights can only be attained if we struggle against unequal and unjust social, economic and political structures which are the root causes of poverty, ill health, and underdevelopment.

HAIN hopes that that material will provide our readers this perspective.

-- from the preface of the book by Dr. Edelina de la Paz, Executive Director of HAIN

Christmas Greetings 2008

2008-12-18T10:54:00.000+08:00

Asian Health Communications Forum

2008-11-30T16:11:00.000+08:00

HAIN, in collaboration with Healthlink Worldwide, conducted a "Regional Forum on Increasing Access to Practical Health Information" last November 27-28, 2008 at the Bayview Park Hotel in Manila.

The forum aimed to examine the impact of Health Alert and learning from the magazine; identify issues and challenges faced in health communication and ways of addressing these; and to build networks or determining ways of linking with existing networks to continue learning and sharing.

At the forum, HAIN executive director, Dr. Edelina dela Paz, presented the curent health situation in the region. The 20 participants from Philippines, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and China have also exchanged insights and shared among each other their organizational and individual experiences in providing health information to the people.

The Health Alert Asia Pacific newsletter, published by HAIN since 2003, provides up-to-date, relevant and accurate health information for health, community and education workers in Asia and the Pacific. It is being distributed to more than 50 countries.

From the discussions, it showed that Health Alert has been utilized to brought some issues to the fore which might have been ignored otherwise. Obviously the issues would be relevant too to the Asia Pacific region, but it is also possible to relate
the issues happening in other parts of the world. Health Alert puts that in context.

Deepthi Wickermasinghe of Healthlink Worldwide (UK)discussed the new technologies in health communication which can be useful in our region. She also shared knowledge of the tools and online resources that they are using in London.

The session on country sharing highlighted the challenges faced by different organization, such as the difficulty of working simultaneously as an advocate and information provider, or the sustainability of a network.

New publication: Revisiting USOG, PASMA, KULAM

2008-11-17T13:03:00.000+08:00

by Michael L. Tan

This book looks at folk illness in the Philippines including, as the title suggests, usog, pasma, and kulam. Rather than looking at these folk illnesses as "superstitions," Tan explains the boarder social and cultural contexts of these concepts. He discusses these illnesses according to their perceived causes, broadly grouping them into three clusters, mystical, personalistic, and naturalistic.

Tan uses different social science perspectives to explore the deeper meanings of these illnesses, including their links to social norms, tensions, and conflicts. He emphasizes, too, that far from being static, these folk illnesses continue to evolve, influenced by Western medicine as well as new images surrounding health and illnesses that come with mass media and advertising. Finally, he calls attention to a medical ecological perspective, looking at how our changing relationships with the natural environment also lead to modifications in the folk illnesses.

Besides reviewing the extensive social science studies that have been conducted on these folk illnesses, Tan also refers to the more limited, but still significant, biomedical studies that explore some of these illnesses, for example, bangungot, showing that theses syndromes often have a physiological basis and needed to be
recognized by health professionals.

***
For more information on how to acquire/purchase the publication
Please contact: University of the Philippines Press
E.de los Santos St., UP Campus, Diliman, Quezon City
Telephone no: 9282558; 9253243
Email: press@up.edu.ph
Cost: P190.00

New publication: Medicinal Fruits & Vegetables

2008-11-17T13:01:00.000+08:00

by Jaime Galvez Tan & Ma. Rebecca M. Galvez Tan

Medicinal Fruits and Vegetables features sixty of the most commonly available and vegetables traditionally used as both food and medicine. Each fruits and vegetables is detailed according to its botanical family, scientific name, nomenclatures in different languages and Filipino dialects, traditional medicine uses, contemporary research findings, food and nutrition values, recommended medicinal use, and botanical and agricultural characteristics. There are also helpful, easy to follow instruction on how to prepare medicinal plants at home by transforming them into decoctions, infusions, syrups, herbal baths, oils, and alcohol extracts.

Evidence-based medicine has proven that daily intake of fruits and vegetables prevents many chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension and cancer. Their generous consumption contributes to the slowing down of the aging process. Aside from the micronutrients, all fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of powerful vitamins, minerals, phythochemicals and anti-oxidants. The healing benefits of fruits and vegetables that our forefathers, grandmothers and traditional healers imparted to us are now being scientifically proven as truly efficacious.

This book aims to encourage a second look at fruits and vegetables. They are excellent functional foods and are safe and effective medicines as well. Fruits and vegetables are also our natural living assets and Gods gifts for total health, wellness, and well-being.

***
For more information on how to acquire the publication
Please contact: Health Futures Foundation, Inc.
1086 Del Monte Ave., Quezon City
Email: healthfutures@yahoo.com

Setting RH Advocacy to the Media

2008-11-11T17:09:00.000+08:00

Health Action Information Network (HAIN) has recently conducted the “News for a Change: RH Advocates’ Training-Workshop on Writing for Media” in collaboration with IIE-LDM and with support from IFPLP-Packard Foundation.

Twenty RH advocates from Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao joined the training. This trained aimed at the following objectives:

 To increase the knowledge and understanding of the interplay and complexities between religious history, theology, arguments, policies, issues and practices surrounding reproductive rights and health,
 To sharpen advocacy messages on RH,
 To strengthen RH advocates skills on writing for media, and
 To consolidate and build solidarity among information officers creating a network of writers’ pool and public speakers.

The workshop started with a “Walking Tour” in Intramuros headed by Carlos Celdran where he offered a historical perspective on the country’s colonial past which continues to influence the social, moral, and religious mores.

Connecting the past to present, Ms. Dulce Natividad (Women’s Health Care Foundation) discussed how the country’s past policies and programs influence the present RH situation and advocacy.

Afterwards, the participants Vigie Benosa (PLCPD) and Rikki Trinidad (HAIN) gave an overview of the present situation of RH, the issues it faced, and how these issues were covered by mass media. Atty. Carolina “Carol” Ruiz-Austria shared tips on blogging sexual rights and reproductive health.

Writing for media was the focus of the second day’s training-workshop. There were two resource speakers: Luz Rimban and Yvonne “Bon” Chua, both acclaimed journalists from VERA Files.

Rimban dug into the different forms and the reality of media: print, television, radio, and Internet; the people working behind news reporting; what makes news newsworthy; and the audience. She introduced what press release is, how it differs from press statement and media advisory, and most importantly, its usefulness in promoting the advocacy.

Chua recalled her experience of attending press conferences conducted by NGOs and used them as samples in her discussion on Media Tools: How to Start your Information System. She tackled the proper ways of putting up one fruitful press conference while giving so much emphasis on the importance of understanding the schedule of invited journalists. She also presented the “standard format” for writing press releases starting from punctuation marks to delivery via e-mail.

The room was divided into two groups wherein each participant was asked to present her/his output for critiquing. This workshop helped the participants have the chance to spot and correct the committed errors.

At the end of the day, the participants shared the lessons they obtained and how they could use and integrate them in their chosen professions.

On the third last day Frank Cimatu (Philippine Daily Inquirer-Baguio) helped the participants critiqued the presented blog articles which were homework from Day 1 of the workshop.

At the end of the workshop, the group decided to create a group blogsite where they would post RH articles and updates from their work.

Training-Workshop on Research Methods for RH

2008-11-11T17:05:00.000+08:00

HAIN conducted the 14th short course on Research Methods on October 6-17 at teh Supreme Hotel in Baguio City.

Twenty-three participants from NCR, Baguio, Bohol, Iloilo, Cebu, Davao and Cagayan de Oro joined the two-week training workshop.

The training-workshop aimed to build research capabilities of the participants to enable them to strengthen their programs on sexual and reproductive health.

Tsunami postscript: Rebuilding a nation after a disaster

2008-09-17T14:35:00.000+08:00

The December 2004 tsunami generated an unprecedented challenge for the countries affected in terms of a staggering human death toll, displacement and destroyed infrastructure and assets.

In Sri Lanka, the tsunami affected around one million people and devastated over two thirds of the country’s coastline. In its aftermath, more than 1,500 children were orphaned; more than 35,000 lives were lost; while another 20,000 were injured. Common infrastructure and public utility supplies were severely affected, further hampering relief and rescue missions in remote coastal areas. The total cost of relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in Sri Lanka was estimated at around USD 2.2 billion.

Tsunami-affected areas were vulnerable to the spread of communicable diseases with the displacement of people, deterioration of sanitary conditions, lack of clean drinking water and shelter, disruption of health infrastructure resulting in a delayed and ad hoc distribution of medical aid. With this backdrop, the government was faced with an enormous challenge of addressing the immediate health needs of affected populations.

To control the spread of diseases among the displaced, essential supplies and medicines were distributed:
• mosquito nets
• emergency first aid kit
• malaria kits
• chlorine tablets
• testing and sanitation kits
• vitamins

Rebuilding a nation
After the initial relief stage, which focused on bringing immediate relief to the people, the government commenced the next stage: rebuilding a nation battered by tsunami.

Recovery and reconstruction activities were organized under four thematic areas: getting people back into their homes, restoring livelihoods, health and education-protection, and national infrastructure development. The government and development partners also worked on a number of cross-cutting themes such as environment, gender, legal aspects, and disaster preparedness.

A round-the-clock tsunami operation cells were established in each district, with teams and working groups tasked to oversee the distribution of medical donations and supplies. Together with its development partners, the Ministry of Health (MoH) identified medium and long term priorities to attend to:

• Restoration of services and reconstruction/renovation of health clinics and hospitals completely or partially damaged by the disaster
• Provision of essential medical supplies and drugs
• Mobility of medical teams and personnel
• Health protection and disease prevention of over 500,000 internally-displaced population (IDP)
• Addressing the mental and psychosocial needs of the affected communities
• Restoration and improving basic health and nutrition services and interventions
• Developing an early warning system and disaster management unit in the MoH

Challenges
However, there were also a number of issues faced by the government and the development partners, for which possible solutions were found. Some of the issues were coordination of health activities at all levels soon after the disaster, developing, communicating and maintaining standards to all stakeholders, construction and rehabilitation of health facilities, addressing the human resource shortages, emergency preparedness system and plan, logistics and distribution, monitoring of IDPs’ health and quality of life and ensuring the sustainability of services.

Relief partners
The massive outpouring of assistance from civil society and the response of the international community with humanitarian aid including rescue teams, medical and food supplies, equipment and personnel was exemplary. This demonstration of human solidarity and kindness helped to curb any outbreak of disease among affected communities. The health practices and knowledge of the people also contributed to reduce health risks.

Responding to the crisis, partner-organizations of the People’s Health Movement (PHM) – Sri Lanka established centers to assist the displace. Sarvodaya, one Sri Lanka’s biggest charities and a member of the PHM, worked to sustain the displaced by providing cooked meals, clothing, and attending to their basic health needs. Special attention was paid to maternal and infant care. As it was necessary to maintain good health and hygiene practices amongst the displaced people information campaigns were conducted in the tsunami shelter sites. Awareness among the residents were raised by distributing leaflets and posters in the sites. Volunteers from Sarvodaya also visited these sites providing health education to the displaced.
On long term reconstruction and recovery efforts Sarvodaya constructed shelters, preschools and playgrounds. The beneficiaries also received household utensils and educational material.

Article by: Gireesha de Silva, Issue 12, Health Alert Asia Pacific
For request of copies of Health Alert Asia Pacific, you may write to hain@hain.org
Reference: Post Tsunami Recovery and Reconstruction, December 2006
Photo courtesy of Sarvodaya

STUDY SHOWS FOREIGN NURSES, CAREGIVERS FACE EXPLOITATIVE WORK CONDITIONS IN JAPAN

2008-09-12T11:01:00.000+08:00

While proponents of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) claim that the pact will create more opportunities for local nurses by allowing them to enter the Japanese market, a study by a Japanese university shows that foreign nurses in Japan face exploitative work conditions and even discrimination.

A study by the University of Kitakyushu in Japan found out that employment programs involving foreign nurses and caregivers have resulted in trainees being forced to work long hours. The Japanese government has also refused to guarantee minimum wage levels, while exorbitant fees of at least 58,000 yen (PhP 23,200) are deducted from the nurses’ salaries every month.

Exploitation of foreign workers on training programs has also been prevalent. Indonesian trainees in Japan , for instance, have reportedly experienced physical abuse and been forced to render unpaid overtime, while others have been denied such basic rights as freedom of movement. Meanwhile, non-Japanese in the bigger cities are reportedly subject to racial profiling by being asked to produce their foreign registration cards or passports, which must be carried at all times.

Part of government’s hype is that with the JPEPA, 400 Filipino nurses and 600 caregivers will be allowed to enter Japan for training for over two years. However, the receiving scheme for health workers states that they must work as trainees in designated institutions, undergo six months of Japanese language training and pass the national certification tests before they can qualify as nurse or caregiver. Although they are already working during this time they will be receiving pay only as a non-licensed worker or trainee or candidate, or as nurse’s aides and caregiver’s assistants.

According to research group IBON, senators debating on the JPEPA should see that the inclusion of nurses in the JPEPA is a deceptive provision that offers uncertain benefits, made only to sweeten the blatantly one-sided, pro-Japan deal. Using Filipino nurses as a justification for approving JPEPA highlights how the Philippine government is willing to sacrifice the welfare of its citizens as well as to cover up for its severe failure in generating jobs and supporting the country’s health system. (end)

The No Deal! Movement for Unequal Economic Agreements in cooperation with the La Sallian Justice and Peace Commission and Benedictines for Peace invite you to the forum 'JPEPA: Deal or No Deal? The People's Issues', 9 am -12 pm, Sept. 12 at the Fajardo Gonzales Auditorium, DLSU Manila. The program includes discussion on the Senate hearings and the presentation of a manifesto on JPEPA.

Source of article: Ibon Foundation listserve

Smart Chart Asia Meeting

2008-09-10T12:53:00.000+08:00

Master trainers of Smart Chart Approach to Strategic Communications in Asia met in Manila for a three-day meeting on August 26-30 at the Shangrila Hotel. One of the objectives of the meeting is to foster greater use of strategic tools like the Smart Chart and other communications best practices in the Philippines, India and Pakistan.

HAIN leads the Smart Chart project in the Philippines. Similar health NGOs also lead the project in Pakistan (Rozan) and India (Population Foundation of India).

The meeting also facilitated sharing of experiences using the Smart Chart, as well as lessons learned from trainings of master trainers. This meeting was conducted in collaboration with the Communications Leadership Institute, a communications firm based in Washington D.C.

The meeting was structured and facilitated with an emphasis on peer learning and exchange, and include practical support for next steps the in-country partners want to take to advance their work in their home countries.

The meeting provided an opportunity for Smart Chart trainers in Asia to review the work done in Smart Chart and to learn more techniques in facilitating Smart Chart training.

Representatives from each participating country presented a brief overview of how they started their work in conducting Smart Chart training and promoting the approach to various advocacy groups.

CLI shared their own experiences with assessment of effectiveness and discussion about challenges faced by different countries. The three countries also shared the tools they have developed for assessment and evaluation of their own Smart Chart Trainings.

Each country presented a complete Smart Chart training as a team with their own fully developed case study and local examples.

The participants also facilitated peer-to-peer workshops on opposition messaging, and developing case studies.

Training on Research Methods

2008-09-10T11:24:00.000+08:00

Health Action Information Network (HAIN) will be conducting a training-workshop on Research Methods for Sexual and Reproductive Health which will be held on October 6-18,2008 in Baguio City.

The training-workshop aims to build research capabilities of the participants to enable them to strengthen their programs on sexual and reproductive health. During the course, participants will be introduced to quantitative (surveys) and qualitative (FGDs, ethnography, life histories, content analysis) research skills, including actual application through fieldwork.

For more information, please write to HAIN and contact Ms Nilda de Vera at nilda.devera@hain.org or nildevera@yahoo.com or fax to number (02) 952-6409. If you have any clarifications, please do not hesitate to contact us at telephone numbers (02) 952-6312 or 952-6409.

Sign the Petition for the Passage of RH Bill

2008-09-01T10:26:00.000+08:00

Dear friends,

Greetings!

The struggle for the passage of the Reproductive Bill (RH) in Congress rages on. The Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN) initiated an online petition that we request you to support by attaching your signature.

Please go to http://www.Petition Online.com/rhan2008/petition.html to do this.

We hope to gather ONE MILLION SIGNATURES to show our legislators that there is a wide support base for the bill's passage despite what the opposition says. We will present the signatures both to the House of Representatives (HOR) and Senate within September as we are waiting for the schedule of plenary deliberations in the HOR and the release of the Senate Committee on Health's report.

Please support the petition. It will not take more than 5 minutes of your time. More than 10 women die daily due to pregnancy and childbirth-related causes. The big bulk of those who die are poor women at the prime of their lives. This is simply unacceptable and must be stopped. Congress has the power to do this. Kindly forward this mail to all your friends.

Thank you very much.

Access to Low Cost Medicines Workshop

2008-08-15T15:53:00.000+08:00

It was unity and diversity both at work in the MeTA-sponsored civil society skills-building workshop on improving access to low cost medicine. The workshop was held at the Meralco Management Leadership and Development Center (MMLDC) in Antipolo City last June 3 to 10, 2008. Twenty-three representatives from Peru, Kyrgyztan, Jordan and the Philippines broke down cultural barriers and country differences as they worked at identifying strategies toward the common goal of improving access to low cost quality medicines for their respective citizens.

This workshop actually dovetailed a similar activity held in Uganda, February of this year that had similar objectives, basically, to equip civil society organizations with knowledge and skills to promote greater transparency, accountability and efficiency on the issue of access to medicines in the pilot countries that included the Philippines.

Jordan with a sparse population of six million and basically ran by a monarchy has a High Health Council headed by the Prime Minister that ensures access to medicines as part of the general health services. Kyrgyztan is another country with a small population of roughly five million that became sovereign as a result of the Soviet Union break-up in 1991. The latter, with relatively new democracy has a young Civil Society that is still getting its act together and has not much experience yet on political exercises like networking, organizing and lobbying. The five-women delegation, three with medical background and two consumer advocates, seem to show a middle-class face of civil society in their country with limited engagement of the sectors at the lower rung. They were however, intent on learning from the other MeTA country representatives, techniques and methods on advocacy and organizing.

The Peru representation of three, on the other hand, asserts that NGOs are very much alive in their country and one important concern is access of low cost, quality medicines for women of reproductive age. The Philippines, as the host country, had the biggest number of delegates representing the multi-sector stakeholders in the issue of low-cost, quality medicines. It was acknowledged indeed, that we have a very rich experience as far as advocacy and political engagement are concerned, especially, in grassroots organizing which is a major and essential component of our NGO work.

The workshop is part of a two-year programme by the MeTA or Medicines Transparency Alliance in promoting a “multi-stakeholder approach towards increasing transparency around the regulation, selection, procurement, sale, distribution and use of medicines in developing countries, thereby strengthening governance, encouraging responsible business practices and ultimately improving access to medicines, especially for the poor.

Serving as Secretariat for the 10-day activity was HAIN, with resource persons and observers representing local agencies like the Philippine Health Insurance, Bureau of Food and Drugs, Zuellig Foundation, Transparency International and international organizations like Health Action International, WHO, DFID and OxFam. Andrew Chetley and Wilbert Bannenberg of MeTA International served as general workshop directors.

World Population Day Celebrated

2008-07-21T16:50:00.000+08:00

HAIN participated in the World Population Day week-long celebration from July 7 until July 11, 2008 in the city of Manila entitled “Family Planning: Karapatan Ko, Karapatan mo, Gawing Totoo”. The said event was organized by the Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN) wherein HAIN is the Chair of the Public Information and Education Committee. RHAN is a coalition of 40 non-government organizations and civic groups advocating for reproductive health and rights. RHAN also leads the campaign for the passage of national legislation on reproductive health (RH) and other issues pertaining to it.

During the week-long celebration, RHAN made the symbolic effort to denounce Executive Order 003 imposed by Manila City former Mayor Lito Atienza in 2000. The city ordinance discouraged the use of contraceptives by his constituents leading to a virtual ban. Atienza also campaigned among the people that artificial methods of family planning are against the law and the pro-life principles of the Catholic Church. For eight years, Manila residents were deprived of artificial family planning commodities, information and services resulting in unplanned pregnancies, marital squabbling and neglected children.

The celebration kicked-off with a 4-day exhibit featuring IEC materials from RHAN and the City Health Office of Manila and a forum on reproductive health at the City College of Manila. Several NGOs, GOs, and the academe especially students participated in the festive activity.

On July 11, Manila held its first family planning fair after Mayor Alfredo Lim lifted Executive Order 003. Around 700 women crowded the Tondo Sports Complex to avail of free contraceptive pills, condoms and reading materials, legal advice on VAW, adolescent reproductive health information, vasectomy and tubal ligation counseling and referrals, IUD and injectables as well as natural family planning method from health, legal and social workers and volunteers of RHAN and the City Health Office of Manila. The residents in poor communities acted on their need at the first opportunity offered them and exercised informed choice and basic right on reproductive health especially family planning during the culminating activity of the World Population day.

A signature campaign in support of the passage of the RH bill was also gathered during the week-long celebration.

RHAN shall therefore intensify its information and education campaign together with the city of Manila officials and residents so as to debunk the notion that artificial methods of family planning are against the law and immoral. RHAN will still continue its effort in helping local government units for the promotion and provision of RH needs and rights.

2008 UNGASS Country Progress Reports on AIDS

2008-07-16T11:03:00.000+08:00

The Philippines, through a multisectoral effort, has successfully submitted the official country progress report to UNAIDS (see previous articles on the process and the different activities conducted in developing the report). In submitting data, the country used CRIS or the Country Response Information System software. The narrative report was also submitted. UNGASS requires the submission of country reports every two years for the monitoring of progress towards the UNGASS Declaration of Commitment adopted by member states in 2001.

The report may be accessed at
http://data.unaids.org/pub/Report/2008/philippines_2008_country_progress_report_en.pdf A printed summary of the report was also produced to highlight key findings.

Copies of the report in CD-ROM format and the printed summary of the report may be requested from PNAC:

Dr. Jessie F. Fatone
M&E Officer
PNAC Secretariat
Bldg. 15 Deparment of Health
San Lazaro Compound, Sta. Cruz
Manila, Philippines
Telephone – (02) 743-0512
Email - pnac_sec@yahoo.com

The CD-ROM contains the 2006 Progress Report and other related documents used in the development and preparation of the report. The development of the report was coordinated by Health Action Information Network in partnerhsip with TLF-Share Collective and PNAC.

New Materials at the HAIN Resource Center

2008-07-14T17:18:00.000+08:00

Title of the Book: Redefining AIDS in Asia: Crafting an Effective Response Report of the Commission on AIDS in Asia

Principal Editor: Hein Marais
Publisher: Oxford University Press, New Delhi 2008

Summary: The Commission on AIDS in Asia was constituted to review and assess the impact of AIDS in Asia. This comprehensive study deepens and refines the understanding of Asia’s pandemic and pinpoints critical components of a viable and sustainable long-term response that can curb AIDS in Asia. It includes key implementation strategies at both the policy and operational levels for stronger response to HIV and AIDS.

The Commission concludes that among the 23 Asian countries covered under this Report, each were capable of mobilizing resources and adopting the technologies needed to win the battle against AIDS if their leaders show strong political commitment and determination, and adopt it as a priority in their political agenda.

Title of the Book: Asia Pacific Civil Society and 2008 UNGASS on HIV and AIDS

Prepared by: Asia Pacific of AIDS Service Organizations, April 2008

Summary: A general overview of the analysis and outcomes of the processes for the development of the 2008 UNGASS Reports from 25 countries in Asia and Pacific. It was noted that the current Country Reports has improved reflecting improved data collection, increased political commitment and the willingness to acknowledge key areas of weakness in national responses including the need to involve civil society organizations, PLHIV and vulnerable groups.

RGS batch BabaylangVeronica

2008-07-10T11:49:00.000+08:00

HAIN conducted the 10th training-workshop on Religion, Gender and Sexuality last July 2-5 in Davao City. Twenty reproductive health advocates participated the workshop. The group is called babaylangVeronica.

The 567 Group’s Fight for AIDS

2008-07-02T02:00:00.000+08:00

The 567 group was established in November 2003 to address the need to have a support group for the people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHAs) in Vietnam. The 567 group is composed of parents of PLWHAs who live in wards 5, 6 and 7 of Vung Tau city. A ward is equivalent to a barangay in the Philippines.

In a brief encounter with Mr. Dzung Chi, an officer of the 567 group, he discussed the history and objective of the group. The group organizes and provides care and treatment, including antiretroviral, to PLWHAs from Vung Tau, Tien Giang and Ca Mau who in the past needed to go to Ho Chi Minh City for support services. Located several hours away from Ho Chi Minh, Mr. Chi lamented that Vung Tau lack access to health services.

Another objective of 567 is to make other people understand about HIV/AIDS and ARVs to gather more support for the PLWHAs.

Aside from health service, the group also encourage PLWHAs to avail the free services, plan treatment schedules for new patients, provide counseling for individuals and groups of patients and their relatives, link patients to other needed services, and help patients on drug compliance.

The home-based care and support is an effective way of helping each other so that mothers of PLWHAs can better take care of their children. They also establish partnerships with other groups such as GIPA.

One concrete example of their activity is having a pilot group of goodwill volunteers supporting HIV/AIDS testing and treatment at clinic No. 8 of the Tropical Diseases Hospital which specializes in AIDS treatment of South Vietnam. The clinic gathers many well-experienced doctors and implements many small and big projects on HIV/AIDS.
A lot of the patients received treatment at the clinic No.8. Some patients have been receiving treatment for more than six years at this clinic.

While 567 Group receives financial support from VCSPA & HAVAG, they also aim to be self-sustainable by putting up a coffee shop in Ho Chi Minh.

AIDS Programme Vietnam

2008-06-27T20:09:00.000+08:00

AIDS Programme Vietnam is an NGO based at the central district of Ho Chi Min City. Its vision is towards the empowerment of the poor to achieve a quality life. Its mission is to increase knowledge of the people particularly the people living with HIV (PLHIV). It also addresses related issues such as women and children’s rights, prevention, treatment, care and support of HIV and STIs (sexually transmitted infections). AIDS Programme makes sure that their programs and projects are aligned with the National AIDS Programme.

The organization provides services to seven slum areas in Ho Chi Min City. Its services include capability building on methods of communication, social networking, harm reduction, literacy and other relevant issues. They also have a Savings and Credit Program or the Microlending which have 35 group memberships. This, they believe will contribute to the empowerment of the people. The organization also provides academic scholarships to deserving students in the community. They give one scholarship for every community. Currently, they have a total of 45 scholarship awards. For those who are out-of-school-youth they help provide vocational trainings such as mechanics. Some of them have finished school and have rendered services to the organization either as employees or volunteers.

With AIDS Programme Vietnam’s many projects, the organization has adapted the participatory approach where they opened their organization to volunteers who are willing to serve the community. The organization has 10 full time staff and is augmented by 20 volunteers who provide assistance to women’s groups, children in school, to PLHIV, especially home care services to 150 PLHIVs. The volunteers live with the community.

The organization has also partnered with HIV/AIDS Vietnam Action Group (HAVAG) which is based in Hanoi. HAVAG provides technical assistance to AIDS Programme in training, harm reduction, peer education and communication.

One of the major projects of the organization is the procurement of ARVs from drug companies at a lesser price, which is 15-25% cheaper. This is to ensure that even PLHIVs with low income can still access ARVs including access to opportunistic infection drugs for free.

The organization also publish newsletter both in electronic and in print format. The newsletter is written in Vietnamese. They said that though many Vietnamese cannot read English well, they also welcome materials from other organizations.

IDU or injecting drug use is high in HCMC. Being one of the major modes of transmission, the organization has also implemented programs for IDU which is community based. This includes support for detoxification and needle exchange. However, IDUs still live in the shadows, and so this program is carefully implemented. Bringing needles for the needle exchange program is illegal and can put the peer educators at risk when delivering services.

The organization believes that it still has many works to do in response to AIDS. They also believe that change cannot be achieved immediately but slowly, they hope to have a non-discriminatory society for people living with HIV.

For more info, please contact AIDS Programme Vietnam, 54/32 Le Quang Dinh., Binh Thanh., HCMC, Vietnam
Telefax: 84.8.8416158
Contact persons: Ms. Ngyuyen Thi Kim Dung and Mr. Tran Thai Hiep

HAIN Chairs Public Information and Education Committee of RHAN

2008-06-24T18:23:00.000+08:00

The Health Action Information Network was elected this year as the Chair of the Public Information and Education Committee of the Reproductive Health Advocacy Network (RHAN). The Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines (DSWP) was elected as Secretary-General which was relinquished by the Health Development Initiatives, Inc (HDII).

RHAN is a network of 41 organizations and individuals working on reproductive health issues in the Philippines and was formally organized in 2002.

The other committee chairs elected include LIKHAAN (Linangan ng Kababaihan, Inc.), PNGOC (Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health and Welfare), PILAKK (Pinagsamang Lakas ng Kababaihan at Kabataan), and ZOTO (Zone I Tondo) which will lead the Legal and Policy Advocacy, Networking, Constituency Building, and RHAN Youth Committee, respectively. The 2-year term of the secretary-general and the different committees of RHAN will end in 2010.

The different members of the Public Information and Education Committee includes 13 NGOs namely Woman Health Philippines, Demographic Research and Development Foundation Foundation, Inc. (DRDF), Women’s Media Circle (WMC), PNGOC, PILAKK, LIKHAAN, DSWP, Creative Collective center Inc. (CCCI), Institute for Social Studies and Action (ISSA), Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Pangligal (SALIGAN), women’s legal education, Advocacy and Defense Foundation, Inc. (WomenLEAD), and Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP)

A Visit to Marie Stopes in Ho Chi Minh City

2008-06-23T17:02:00.000+08:00

Marie Stopes (MS) International is one of the largest international family planning organizations in the world. In 2006 alone, the organization provided nearly five million people in almost 38 countries with high quality health services, including family planning; safe abortion & post-abortion care; maternal & child health care including safe delivery and obstetrics; diagnosis & treatment of sexually transmitted infections; and HIV/AIDS prevention.

In Vietnam, MS was established in 1989 in Hanoi. It offers various services such as family planning; abortion; health screening; HIV/STIs; maternal health; primary health care; social franchising; young people reproductive health. Its primary objective is to increase awareness/availability of quality HIV/AIDS information and Voluntary Confidential Testing (VCT) services and to improve access to quality maternal and child health services.

Entering the building, Marie Stopes (MS) office/clinic in Ho Chi Minh City looks cool, comfy and friendly. It’s something that you would want to stay in at even if going there could stigmatize you because the organization is identified to abortion services (abortion is legal in Vietnam). Enticing too are the multi-colored office walls, the welcoming lounge area, and the interesting design of the filing cabinet.

The lobby of the clinic also has a computer with Internet connection so that companions of the clients will not get bored and still get to be informed while waiting.

There are two MS clinics in Ho Chi Minh City and the one we visited is the newly inaugurated clinic located in District 1 which is about 30 minutes away from the city proper. There are a total of seven MS clinics all over Vietnam. These clinics offer a full range of reproductive health services including family planning and contraceptive methods, general reproductive health checks including breast screening and pap smears, safe abortions and post abortion care, ante-natal check-ups and HIV testing and counseling services.

The five-story MS building has ultrasound room, examination room for Pap smear and prenatal check ups, and an operating room (i.e. safe abortion) which all look clean and safe.

The counseling room is cozy and relaxing for anyone who needs enlightenment of the mind and heart. The staff said they do not get the names of the clients to ensure confidentiality.

On an average day, they receive 20 clients. MS only charges minimum amount to their clients because their operations is being subsidized by funding agencies. This is to make their services affordable to the people and to be competitive with other private clinics. The clinic is open everyday.

Contraceptives are widely available in Vietnam. IUD and pills are the most commonly used contraceptives. MS sells condoms and pills in their clinic at an affordable price.

MS does not sell emergency contraceptive pills in a large scale since the sale of this product is restricted in Vietnam because it is classified as prescription drugs. Clients could buy the emergency contraceptive pill in government clinics and drugstores. A package of emergency contraceptive pills cost about $20 per dose.

While the Catholic Church community in Vietnam also opposes the distribution and use of contraceptives, they do not make much of an influence in government policy when it comes to family planning programs. The Vietnamese government encourages couples to only have two children to curb population growth.

MS also offer telephone hotline for counseling and quick referrals. For instance, they refer their clients from a distant place to other clinics where they can easily avail of RH services.

Abiding by the thrust of Marie Stopes International, the MS in Ho Chi Minh City aims to ensure the widest possible access by providing a range of information and innovative services. Aside from clinical services and contraceptive distribution, they also conduct community education and other advocacy activities. Their projects involve collaboration with different government agencies and private institutions (i.e. Adidas).

by: Joyce P. Valbuena

Smart Chart Level Up

2008-06-05T14:53:00.000+08:00

HAIN recently organized training on advanced strategic communications. Nine participants who have already undergone Smart Chart training were selected to attend this peer learning activity. The training aimed to ensure that reproductive health advocates are not only able to successfully use the Smart Chart but are also able to train their colleagues to use the tool to develop strong communications programs.

Resource Speakers from the Communications Leadership Institute (CLI), a communications firm based in Washington DC, came to the Philippines to help move to the next level the confidence and skills of the Smart Chart participants. The two-day training was designed to support the practitioners and position them for leadership among their peers.

CLI oriented the participants on the version 3.0 of Smart Chart. It was also a venue for the participants to share their experiences in teaching Smart Chart and exchange case studies that could be useful in future training. The participants also learned tips on presentation skills and adapting Smart Chart to local audiences.

Smart Chart is a tool in strategic communications planning. In 2006 and 2007, HAIN has trained about 200 reproductive health advocates with this tool to help them advance their program goals.

The activity is part of HAIN’s ongoing project with the Packard Foundation which aims to promote effective education and advocacy on population and reproductive health issues in the Philippines. The workshop was held at the Meralco Management and Development Center in Antipolo City last June 2 to 3.

In August of this year, CLI will facilitate a three-day regional workshop for the master trainers from each of Packard Foundation’s in-country partner (Philippines, India and Pakistan). The focus of this meeting will be to share experiences using the Smart Chart, as well as lessons learned from trainings of master trainers. The meeting will be structured and facilitated with an emphasis on peer learning and exchange.

Promoting Greater Involvement of People Living with HIV in Ho Chi Minh City

2008-06-05T14:27:00.000+08:00

Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam and is located near the Mekong Delta. It is also the center of trade and industry with 82 million total populations. According to the 2007 Family International Report, there is an estimate 72,400 HIV and AIDS cases in the country. With this increasing alarming concern of the epidemic, the United Nations’ Greater Involvement of PLHIV (GIPA) Project under the Ho Chi Minh Women’s Union continues to strengthen its advocacy work and collaboration with local civil society organizations on the prevention and control of HIV and AIDS in the country.

Last May 14, 2008, the Health Action Information Network (HAIN) had an opportunity to learn the initiatives and experiences of GIPA Vietnam. Mr. Enrico Caja, GIPA coordinator and its local counterpart Ms. Nguyen Vu Huong Giang led the presentation and facilitated the open forum. GIPA’s objectives are to increase access to treatment and services; lessen stigma and discrimination towards PLHIVs; increase understanding and support for GIPA; and promote volunteerism and participation among PLHIVs on HIV and AIDS activities. With the help of its international partners like UN Volunteers and Euro-Asia AIDS Cooperation, GIPA performs the following initiatives: provides a venue for PLHIV Interaction, counseling and referral, information sharing through IEC materials and website, capacity building, network and collaboration, advocacy programs, volunteer promotion and organizing support groups of families and PLHIVs.

25th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial

2008-05-30T14:23:00.000+08:00

May 23rd 2008 marked the 25th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial at Quirino Grandstand, Luneta Park, Manila where hundreds of people commemorate the theme, “Never Give Up, Never Forget”. It unveiled the experiences of collective efforts and reminds us that we must learn from the past and never give up as we enter a new generation with the disease.

The Candlelight Memorial began in 1983 during a time of confusion and misconception about a mysterious disease sweeping the gay population in San Francisco in the United States. Four young men named Bobbi Campbell, Bobby Reynolds, Dan Turner and Mark Feldman coordinated a small vigil and marched down the Castro District to City Hall behind a banner reading “Fighting for Our Lives.” This drew thousands, beginning a candlelight movement that would inspire other people living with HIV/AIDS in other countries to bring the disease into the light for communities and national leaders, to foster support, and move people to action. The Candlelight Memorial was managed by an organization named Mobilization against AIDS until the Council began organizing the event in 2000.*

Rich in attendance were civil society organizations, students, men in uniform, and government agencies who all showed their support to those living with HIV and AIDS as well as to remember those who have lost their lives to the disease.

Aside from singing, dancing, and testimonials from People Living with HIV (PLHIV), the evening also highlighted the unfolding of hand-made quilts led by members of Pinoy Plus Association in remembrance of those who have died from AIDS. Afterwards, representatives from different sectors lined up and took turns to light their candles. The Grandstand was filled with light of remembrance, community mobilization, and global solidarity.

* Excerpts from http://www.candlelightmemorial.org/anniversary/

State of HIV and AIDS 2008, Philippines

2008-05-30T14:19:00.000+08:00

It was a well-attended event where representatives from government offices, United Nations and bilateral organizations, media and civil society organizations gathered to attend the “Integrated HIV Behavioral and Serologic Surveillance (IHBSS) and 2008 United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) Country Progress Report National Dissemination Forum” which took place at the Pearl Manila Hotel. The Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC) and the National Epidemiology Center (NEC) of the Department of Health organized the whole day activity to share the results of the Country Report and AIDS Registry as well as gather further inputs and recommendations on the current HIV and AIDS situation.

Ms. Noemi Bayoneta-Leis from the Health Action Information Network (HAIN) and project coordinator of the 2008 UNGASS presented the process and comparison between 2005 and 2008 UNGASS indicators results. Dr. Jessie Fantone of the PNAC Secretariat cited the regional AIDS situation as well as gave recognition to the organizations who have participated in the Good Practices documentation.

Dr. Eric Tayag, Director IV of NEC reported that there are 782 Filipinos who have died of AIDS since 1984. To date, the prevalence of HIV and AIDS in the country is less than 0.01%, yet trends are suggesting that the numbers of cases are on the rise. In previous years an average of 20 cases were being reported monthly. However, in 2007 this figure increased to 29 cases per month.

Dr. Tayag was also joined by Dr. Genesis Samonte of NEC for the updates on the Philippine HIV and AIDS Registry 2007 Annual Report. Ms. Nimfa Ogena of the University of the Philippines Population Institute presented the preliminary result of a study on knowledge on HIV, condom use and risky behavior among the most at risk population (MARP).

Moreover, Health and Development Initiatives Institute Executive Director Gladys Malayang shared to the audience about a new project on information database which is designed to post updates about the HIV and AIDS activities of NGOs all over the country.

As reactors to the presentations, Undersecretary Austere Panadero of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Dr. Gerald Belimac of National AIDS STI Prevention and Control Programme (NASPCP) and Robin Carbonel of Pinoy Plus Association reminded the audience that although the Philippines is considered “low prevalence” country, we should not become complacent but rather work together and be united as a community in supporting the ongoing efforts of prevention, treatment, and care in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

PANACeA Network Partner Visits HAIN

2008-05-27T14:41:00.000+08:00

Representatives of Aga Khan University (AKU) in Pakistan, the over-all coordinator of the PAN Asian Collaboration for Evidence Based e-Health Adoption and Application (PANACEA) network project visited their partner organizations in the Philippines.

Dr. Hammad Durrani, Ms. Saira Nigar and Dr. Zahid Ali Fahim met project leaders to discuss their updates on activities, availability and utilization of resources. HAIN is one of the AKU partners in the Philippines for its two projects here: mainstreaming E-health among the visually challenged group and in primary health care setting.

The PANACeA is a network of researchers from Pan Asia Region (South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia) that undertakes researches and produces evidence-based useful applications of ICT (Information, Communication & Technology) for the improvement of health services and health status in the region.

In January 2007, Emie de Vera, HAIN Resource Center staff, participated in a workshop called “Regional eHealth Research Network Workshop” which was organized by the Angeles University Foundation (Philippines) in collaboration with AKU. The workshop aimed to provide opportunities for eHealth researchers from developing countries in Asia to collaborate in the development of a regional research network, organize ideas for conducting research, and share their experiences in eHealth.

The workshop was supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). Participants were from different universities, research Institutions and NGOs from Indonesia, India, Philippines, Mongolia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Thailand.

During the four-day workshop, six research proposals were developed on the topics of:
• Mainstreaming eHealth in the PHC setting
• Disability
• Disaster/Emergency Telemedicine
• eHealth promotion for Safe motherhood
• TB/DOTS
• Remote Consultation to Rural Mothers

Last December, the different partner organizations met again in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for another workshop which aimed to provide opportunities for PANACeA researchers to present the progress in the needs-assessment phase and discuss the proposals.

HAIN Partners with the City Government of Antipolo

2008-05-27T14:37:00.000+08:00

Last May 8 2008, HAIN met with Mayor Victor Sumulong of Antipolo City and members of its city council to discuss HAIN’s project proposal. HAIN expressed interest in building a partnership with Antipolo city to help strengthen their community based health program, particularly on reproductive health.

Part of the undertaking is to conduct a community needs assessment through surveys, focus-group discussions and key informant interviews among stakeholders in selected barangays of Antipolo. The project will also include capacity development of barangay health workers. HAIN also vowed to provide technical and information support to the city council as they gear for the passage of its local Reproductive Health Code.

This undertaking is part of one of HAIN’s current project entitled “Enhancing Reproductive Health Situation in the Philippines through Capacity Development and Advocacy” The project aims to help develop strong linkages with various community health networks to initiate national population and RH agenda to increase in access to Family Planning (FP) and RH services and slow down population growth. The project is supported by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

Welcome Sandra to HAIN!

2008-05-27T14:33:00.000+08:00

Sandra Cortina, a masteral degree candidate of Public Health concentrating in Global Health and Marginalized Populations from the Simon Fraser University, Vancouver Canada is with HAIN for three months as part of her internship program. Sandra is here to complete her course requirement to undergo a practicum in a developing country where she can apply public health concepts and gain practical experience in the field. She is involved in HAIN’s projects on reproductive health and E-health. Sandra also joins some community visit activities of the Council for Health and Development.

Sandra shares her thoughts about her Manila experience...

"My internship at HAIN (pronounced ha-een to those non-Tagalogers!) has up to now been an amazing experience and I look forward to my practicum where I will be researching reproductive health and the needs of community health workers. Although I have only been with HAIN for one month and the project that I am assigned to is soon to start, I have –to a great extent-practiced how a true international Non Governmental Organization works. Whether it’s preparing the background literature for future projects, attending national dissemination forums, participating in advocacy campaigns, or just updating the HAIN blogsite, I am taking away a lot more than I had realized. For the most part, I have come to appreciate the diversity of work that NGOs do. Although each organization is unique to their own initiatives, they must still work in a coordinated manner with other diverse groups and stakeholders to accomplish their goals. In addition to the varied work that goes into HAIN, above all I have come to realize the importance of all the work that comes out of HAIN. My office mates are all dedicated individuals who are committed to improving existing health information. By collecting and providing health data, we can not only start health initiatives, but we can also use it to empower people to act in response to their own health challenges, imperative to the developing world."

The 2nd International Conference on Reproductive Health Management in Bali, Indonesia

2008-05-18T12:56:00.000+08:00

The 2nd International Conference on Reproductive Health Management (ICHRM) was held last May 6-8, 2008 at the Kartika Plaza Hotel, Bali, Indonesia. The conference gathered around 400 participants from government, academe, local government units, military, non-government organizations, research institutions, people’s organizations and other individuals, institutions and organizations. The participating countries came mostly from Southeast Asia, and other Asian countries while others came from as far as Sudan and Mauritius.

The 3-day conference dealt with Reproductive Health Management (RHM) as a way of maximizing the potentials of individuals, groups, and institutions working in the reproductive health sector in designing, implementing and sustaining specific initiatives aimed at addressing relevant community aspirations and needs while contributing to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The six functional areas include (1) Governance, policy, ethics and standards; (2) Organization and human resource development and management; (3) Knowledge management; (4) Service delivery and operations management; (5) Resource mobilization, partnership and alliance building; and (6) Social entrepreneurship and enterprise development, institutionalization, and sustainability. In addition, RHM includes with 10 elements of reproductive health as defined by the ICPD. The focus was on how best to manage specific reproductive health initiatives with special emphasis on family planning in the light of equally pressing concerns that affect the living conditions of people particularly in developing countries. Thus the conference adopted the theme "Convergence: working together for results and impact".

Participants shared their current expertise and experiences in managing the reproductive health program to achieve better results and impact. The conference gave special emphasis on discussing the management of family planning program and also highlighted critical issues of reproductive health programs, such as access, quality, leadership, community participation, and youth empowerment.

ICRHM provided an opportunity for participants to develop a common agenda and build a consensus on ways to best pursue it, shared learning across individuals and organizations, build skills, and renew commitments to continue their work. Moreover, ICHRM highlighted current and emergent practices in managing reproductive health in relation to other development concerns, identified gaps, gains, lessons, insights, challenges and opportunities in pursuing multiple priorities in the area of reproductive health and development; and reached a consensus on future actions to advance reproductive health management in accelerating the achievement of MDGs.

Sudan will be the next venue for the 3rd ICHRM in 2010.

Tensions rise as world faces food crisis

2008-04-02T10:49:00.000+08:00

Food prices are soaring, a wealthier Asia is demanding better food and farmers can’t keep up. In short, the world faces a food crisis and in some places it is already boiling over.

Around the globe, people are protesting and governments are responding with often counterproductive controls on prices and exports—a new politics of scarcity in which ensuring food supplies is becoming a major challenge for the 21st century.

Plundered by severe weather in producing countries and by a boom in demand from fast-developing nations, the world’s wheat stocks are at 30-year lows. Grain prices have been on the rise for five years, ending decades of cheap food.

Widespread drought, a declining dollar, a shift of investment money into commodities and use of farm land to grow fuel have all contributed to the food woes. But population growth and the growing wealth of China and other emerging countries are likely to be more enduring factors.

World population is set to hit 9 billion by 2050, and most of the extra 2.5 billion people will live in the developing world. It is in these countries that the population is demanding dairy and meat, which require more land to produce.

“This is an additional setback for the world economy, at a time when we are already going through major turbulence. But the biggest drama is the impact of higher food prices on the poor,” Angel Gurria, head of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) told Reuters.

In Gurria’s native Mexico, tens of thousands took to the streets last year over the cost of tortillas, a national staple whose price rocketed in tandem with the price of corn.

Read more...
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 1, 2008

HAIN Takes Lead in Advocacy on Rational Drug Use and Medicine Pricing

2008-03-25T16:00:00.000+08:00

The Philippines ranked second to Japan as having the highest medicine prices in Asia. Filipinos spent for medicines the equivalent of $1 billion a year, from 1997 to 2001, the highest in Asean, notwithstanding that half of the Philippines' 80 million population have no access to essential medicines. The cost of medicines here is 40 percent to 70 percent higher than in other Asean countries. For Filipinos who have access to medicines, their budget for total health-related expenses (not just medicines) is a measly P2, 000.00/person/year.(1)

With this alarming backdrop, the Health Action International (HAI), a global network working on issues related to access to medicine and their rational use in collaboration with the Health Action Information Network (HAIN) conducted an advocacy planning workshop last February 12-14, 2008 at the Fersal Place Hotel, Quezon City. The three-day event covered lecture presentations on medicine pricing, overview on the salient provisions of Cheaper Medicine Act of 2007, Government’s intervention and NGOs sharing of experiences and advocacy work. It was attended by 28 Metro Manila representatives and 3 regional participants from various organizations (non-government organizations, academe and people’s organization) that gathered for discussions and workshop sessions on current concerns, developments and advocacy on affordability, availability and safety of drugs in the Philippines

As a result, HAIN was appointed as the secretariat and proposed with the following activities for the year:

* Information dissemination and education to stakeholders and sectors regarding access to medicine as basic human rights
* Institutional strengthening or organizational capacity in conducting advocacy and campaigns
* Giving awards as part of incentives for model programs that will serve as inspiration for the generics campaign.
* Strengthening network and mobilization groups to lobby Cheaper Medicine Bill, Amendments on Generics Act and related issues
* Lobby for rational drug use at the LGU level, specifically functional therapeutic committees or its equivalent
* Special project: Compendum Generics List

(1) Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer, December 19, 2007

Price-Control-Board Debate May Delay Cheap Drugs Law

2008-02-15T10:01:00.000+08:00

After almost a decade, a bill seeking to ensure access to affordable, quality medicines by majority of poor Filipinos is on the verge of finally becoming a law. But unless the matter devolves into one of political expediency, contentious issues between the House and Senate versions of the bill could delay its immediate passage.

Certified as an urgent piece of legislation by the Arroyo administration since 2001, the measure is set to be among Congress’s legislative priorities once sessions resume late this month. Late last year, both Houses passed two versions of the proposed law, and now a bicameral conference committee is supposed to reconcile these.

Both the bills’ principal authors, Senator Mar Roxas (Liberal Party) and Iloilo Representative Ferjenel Biron (Kampi), are optimistic that harmonizing the two drafts would be quick. Indeed, the two bills have a handful of similar provisions proposing to amend Republic Act 8293, or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, aside from other reconcilable stipulations.

Read full story from PCIJ...

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-18T11:31:00.000+08:00

Guide to 100% Condom Use Programme in the Philippines

2007-12-16T14:09:00.000+08:00

The 100% CUP was introduced initially in three sites in the Philippines in 1999 by Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) through the AIDS Surveillance and Education Project (ASEP) of USAID. This was expanded to five other sites in 2000-2002.

In 2003, this approach was further implemented in San Fernando, La Union, Dagupan and Urdaneta, Pangasinan; and Laoag City through the assistance of WHO. An assessment of the program was done in April-June 2007 through site visits, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The assessment included a number of recommendations for the various implementers of the 100% CUP.

Based on these recommendations, a 3-month project was created to put together guidelines and subsequently train the implementers in other sites in the Philippines. The project was implemented by HAIN and HDII in coordination with DOH and WHO.

HAIN developed the “Implementer’s Guide to 100% Condom Use Programme in the Philippines” based on experiences from other countries and the pilot sites. The draft was validated through a workshop with key stakeholders involved in the implementation of the programme. The validation is one step to assure that prior to the pre-testing of the Implementer’s Guide and the Training Manual, a process of ensuring accuracy and appropriateness has been done.

The Guide became the basis for HDII to revise the “100% CUP Training Manual,” to conduct the training of trainers and the return demonstration to solicit comments and to further validate the contents and process. Based on the inputs from the validation workshops, training of trainers, and return demonstration activies, the Implementer’s Guide” and the Training Manual on the 100% CUP was finalized.

DOH, HAIN Developed PEP Guidelines

2007-12-16T14:07:00.000+08:00

The Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) Policy Guidelines was developed in response to the results of the External Assessment of VCT (Voluntary Counseling and Testing) and Procurement and Supply Chain Management for HIV and AIDS Program. The Assessment recommended the need for the PEP system to be in place in all health facilities.

The PEP Guidelines will serve as the national guideline for all government hospitals and other health care facilities as well as for private hospitals and private practitioners. The availability of PEP for health workers will serve to increase staff motivation to work with people infected with HIV, and may help to retain staff concerned about the risk of exposure to HIV in the workplace. Within the health sector, PEP should be provided as part of a comprehensive standard precaution package that reduces staff exposure to infectious hazards at work.

To facilitate the development of the PEP Policy Guidelines, the Department of Health partnered with HAIN with support from the World Health Organization (WHO).

The 3-month process involved conducting meetings and consultations with health researchers, program directors, and health practitioners in the field of HIV and AIDS leading to the formation of PEP Technical Working Group (TWG).

HAIN prepared the preliminary guidelines and through these meetings, the TWG discussed and provided more input to the draft guidelines for improvement. In finalizing and to further enhance the guidelines, HAIN organized a validation writeshop in September 17, 2007 and has invited participants from regional partners and treatment hubs who are in the frontline of AIDS treatment, care and support.

Travelogue: Healthlink’s 30th Anniversary in London

2007-12-02T13:58:00.000+08:00

In October, Healthlink Worldwide, invited HAIN to participate at their global partners meeting which coincided with the celebration of their 30th founding anniversary. It was my first viist to London so I was excited! With some problems with my passport and visa, I had to re-book my flight one day later which mean I missed the first meeting in London held at the House of Parliaments.

Days 2 and 3 of the meeting were held in a Baptist Church. There, I got to see old friends again like David, Luc, Shaidul, James, Kuhu, etc. Then there were many new acquaintances from Africa, India and from Healthlink. The meeting was interesting, inspiring and I like the new people I have met (I couldn’t remember their names unless I would look at the directory). Shampa and Stephanie of Healthlink were also nice and it’s good to finally see them in person.

Healthlink also organized a cocktail party wherein friends of the organization also attended to celebrate the 30th year. We all came in our national costumes (I wasn’t exactly wearing a Filipino dress) and I like the dresses of the Africans. Healthlink is one of the NGOs I really admire and I am glad it has become part of my career. It was heart-warming to see David and the rest of the staff in their turf.

Then finally, after three days meeting, Delen and I were free to go around the city. We first visited the Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guards. We enjoyed strolling at St. James Park down to The Big Ben, House of Parliaments and the Westminster Abbey. It was tiring to become a tourist in a very interesting city but I really enjoyed going to The London Eye, Harrods and Oxford street. The Tower Bridge, National Gallery and Covent Garden also became part of our itenerary. But I was more thrilled when we went to King’s Cross station. It was all I wanted so that I could somehow feel Harry Potter mania! I was all smiles when I had my picture taken at Platform 93/4

After the Healthlink meeting, Delen and I spent extra days at the Ockelford’s manor. Jane who used to work with HAIN a long time ago and is now married to Jeremy Ockelford, was a very dear to host us. I love my pictures from this trip and I cherish every moment I was there. I wish I could go back again to Europe!

by Joyce P. Valbuena, HAIN Research and Publications Coordinator

Travelogue: 4th APCRSHR, Hyderabad, India

2007-11-27T13:47:00.000+08:00

The 4th Asia-Pacific Conference of Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights (Theme: ‘New Frontiers in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights’) was held in Hyderabad,India last October 29-31, 2007. It brought together around 2,000 participants with diverse backgrounds, situations and expertise from 42 countries in an enabling environment of sharing and exchanging ideas, networking, collaborating and learning. Conference highlights included symposia, plenaries, skills-building workshops, satellite sessions and poster-displays on emerging challenges in HIV/AIDS, LGBTs, family planning, sex education, adolescent issues and other reproductive and sexual health and rights (RSHR) concerns.

The conference gave me an opportunity to present a paper entitled, “Sexual and Protective Practices Among Self-Identified Homosexuals in Metro Manila, Philippines” which drew an audience from different countries. Several questions and inquiries were posted and answered throughout my presentation. At the end of my presentation, I felt drained and exhausted but was relieved and fulfilled with the turn-out of my presentation in terms of numbers and the thought-provoking questions that transpired. Overall, I can say (with conviction) that it was a success.

Looking back, I believe that the conference explored a few new frontiers on reproductive and sexual health and rights. However, it gave me a deeper commitment in continuing and expanding my sphere of influence in sexual and reproductive health and rights especially in issues pertaining to adolescent reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, and LGBTs. I was also able to take a stock of the progress and sharing of experiences providing a common platform in discussing issues and enhancing understanding and promoting the agenda on SRHR. Moreover, the conference brought me to forge and strengthen old as well as new linkages with fellow RSHR advocates across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. In summary, it was a good conference, nonetheless, but not an exceptional one so to speak.

I am looking forward to the 5th Asia-Pacific Conference on Reproductive and Sexual Health and Rights which will be held in Hanzhou, China in 2009.

By Rikki Trinidad, HAIN Research Associate

RP AMONG WORLD'S WORST IN HEALTH SERVICES

2007-10-04T10:17:00.000+08:00

The low priority the Arroyo government places on health has branded the Philippines among the worst in the world when it comes to providing health services to its people, according to independent think-tank IBON Foundation.

The World Health Organization (WHO), in its World Health Statistics 2007, gave the Philippines dismal rankings in various health provision indicators.

Among 192 countries the Philippines ranks 153rd in terms of government spending on health as a share of a country's total health spending. Filipinos have increasingly relied on out of pocket expenses on health, as against government allocation.

The country also ranks 156th in terms of the share of the government budget going to health.

In the proposed 2008 national budget, only 1.5% of the total budget will go to health. Total health budget for 2008 is P22.9 billion, equivalent to just 0.31% of GDP. Health budget was marginally better at 0.58% of GDP in 1997 and 0.74% in 1990.
However, health budgets still fall well below the 5% of GDP that should be committed to health spending recommended by the WHO.

IBON points out that the per capita health spending in the proposed 2008 budget is just P253 per Filipino, further highlighting how government is taking the least responsibility to meet its citizens' health needs. (end)

Source: IBON Media Release/October 3, 2007
IBON Foundation, Inc. is an independent development institution established in 1978 that provides research, education, publications, information work and advocacy support on socioeconomic issues.

The Global Crisis and People’s Health

2007-08-14T17:55:00.000+08:00

The month of July ended with news on climate change, war, violence, militarization and emergence of new forms of diseases.

Parts of eastern India and Bangladesh have been devastated by the worst floods in these countries’ history, killing more than 2,000 people. Millions more have been left homeless, without any adequate supplies of food, water, and medicines.

The WHO explains that climate change has direct impacts on people’s health in terms of temperature-related illness and death, the health impacts of extreme weather events, and the effects of air pollution in the form of spores and moulds. Other impacts follow more intricate pathways such as those that give rise to water- and food-borne diseases; vector-borne and rodent-borne diseases; or food and water shortages.

Doctors warn that people’s health is more at risk now with the reemergence of old types of diseases in newer and virtually untreatable forms while there were also 19 new diseases discovered recently.

Indeed, all parts of the world are vulnerable to climate change but developing countries tend to suffer more since these are not prepared for potential environmental and health-related impacts.

While South Asia reels from floods, the United States of America is more focused in another equally devastating thing – a $50-billion aid to Israel, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait that could include the latest weaponry and other means of mass destruction.

Already, the cost of the US-Iraq war is more than $100 billion, an amount that would provide one year of health care for 30 million children.

In a forum on The Global Crisis and People’s Health, held in Balay Kalinaw at the University of the Philippines in Diliman last July 31, health activists pointed out that further militarization pose the greatest threat to health and peace. “Under the guise of a ‘war on terror’, the United States is trying to enforce global hegemony at a terrifying cost to people’s health,” said Dr. Edelina dela Paz, the coordinator of People’s Health Movement (PHM) in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

“All these are for the USA’s quest for non-renewable resources. For instance, the US appeases Sudan for the sake of oil, Afghanistan because of the riches of Central Asia and most blatantly Iraq only because of its oil resource”, said Dr. Prem Chandran John, the co-chair of the Global Steering Council of PHM.

According to Dr. Prem John, the USA’s desire to rule the world is worrisome for global health conditions. He cited that the USA, which only has the world’s 6% population, is using 28% of the world’s resources.

Dr. Prem John mentioned the Titanic Syndrome, likening the world to a sinking ship that has no enough lifeboats. He explained, “The US and its allies rule the world economy for their own good and only incidentally for the benefit of others. And the weak will invariably drown.”

The Filipinos’ Health and Government Neglect

With all the global issues on climate change and US-led wars of aggression, the Filipinos are not spared from suffering and death.

Year after year, health care for most Filipinos has become more difficult, expensive and inaccessible.

Mr. Sonny Africa, the research coordinator of Ibon Foundation, revealed that 69 million Filipinos (80% of population) struggle to survive on P96 or less a day (US$2). No wonder about half of the Filipino population (46 million) go hungry everyday and are unable to meet minimum nutritional needs.

In addition to this, Africa also cited that 67% of Filipinos die without getting any medical attention. Not only because poor Filipinos cannot afford medical care and services, but also the country has shortage of medical professionals. The Philippines is the number one exporter of nurses worldwide. Because of low wages and benefits for health professionals, many of them opt to work abroad for greener pasture. Data shows that 85% of Filipino nurses work abroad in some 50 countries. Since 2003, around 3,000 doctors went abroad as nurses. From 2003-2005, 200 hospitals completely closed and 800 partially closed for lack of doctors/nurses.

Africa blamed the worsening state neglect on health as a major cause of poor health situation. The government allocates a very minimum budget on health. The country’s health budget is a mere 0.3% of its GDP, way below the World Health Organization-prescribed 5%. In terms of total expenditure on health, out of the 192 countries, the Philippines ranks 174th. The government’s total health expenditure is only 3.4% while in terms of private expenditure, the country ranks 39th with about 60% of health expenditures coming from private sector.

In the midst of Filipino suffering, Africa pointed out that the net worth of 10 richest Filipinos reaches to US$12.4 billion in 2006. This is equivalent to combined annual income of poorest 9,600,000 families (approximately 49 million Filipinos). Health crisis and conditions is even worst for the country’s basic sectors (peasants, workers, informal workers…)

Pharmaceutical firms also rake in big profit at the expense of people’s health. The top 10 pharmaceutical firms in the country have a total of P58.5 billion in revenues as cost of medicines remains to be high and unaffordable among the poor.

And what more can we expect from the government when in fact its priorities is not catering to uplift the health situation of the poor people. Of the supposedly P13.5 billion budget for health in 2006, 9.1% (P1.3 billion) goes to the improvement of two military hospitals. Furthermore, the government allows the privatization of public hospitals to promote “medical tourism” which aims to lure rich people from other nations to come to the Philippines for their medical care and at the same time promote tourism of the Philippines.

Plea for Health

PHM calls for a humane society that guarantees the people's right to health. Members of PHM which is composed of health activists from different countries initiated “The Right to Health Campaign.” This international campaign calls for action on the widening global health gap between the rich and the poor. PHM expresses grief over the deteriorating health conditions and inequities in the vast majority of the world’s population.

The PHM forum was also held in different Southeast Asian cities such as Bangkok, Jakarta, Hanoi and Phom Penh as part of strengthening of the PHM in the Southeast Asian region. The Health Action Information Network (HAIN) and the Council for Health and Development organized the forum in the Philippines.

For more information, contact PHM-Philippines secretariat (HAIN) at 952-6312 or 9526409, hain@hain.org

Unicef, WHO Back Philippines’ Milk Code

2007-06-19T17:11:00.000+08:00

Officials of the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and the World Health Organization (WHO) denounced on Monday attempts by international pharmaceutical firms to stop the implementation of the Milk Code of the Philippines that would regulate infant formula advertising and promote breastfeeding.

“There is great concern in the international community over what is happening in the Philippines at the moment,” David Clark, Unicef legal expert on milk code enforcement, said in a statement.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Tuesday oral arguments on the Milk Code, which was temporarily held in abeyance upon the pleading of milk companies represented by the Pharmaceutical and Health Care Association of the Philippines.

The code bans advertisements for breast milk substitutes intended for infants and children up to two years old. Milk companies argued that the code curtailed international trade and marketing agreements.

The United States Chamber of Commerce has asked the Department of Trade and Industry to reexamine the Milk Code and its impact on trade, investment, employment and other commercial activities.

“The blockage of the implementation of the code sends a negative message to other countries around the world that are trying to protect infant health and survival through strong national legislation,” said Clark.

The Department of Health wants the temporary restraining order lifted, saying the Milk Code was intended to arrest the decline in breastfeeding.

At a press conference, Clark said the milk companies were “picking on” the Philippines when it came to the Milk Code because of the big market for their products here. He noted that the amount spent for advertising infant formula in the Philippines was twice that spent in the United States.

The Unicef officer also said the milk companies’ “seductive” advertising lured parents into abandoning breastfeeding in favor of infant formula.

The DoH said the milk ads promoted false claims, like when they said their products made children more intelligent.

“Why are these companies picking on the Philippines? Why are they choosing to put corporate profits before infant survival?” he said.

Clark also contested claims that the Milk Code would hamper trade with multinational companies. He pointed out that the Milk Code would only regulate the marketing of infant formula and not trade and manufacture, and added that the code would be applied in a nondiscriminatory manner.

Clark warned that “powdered infant formula is not a sterile product and may contain harmful bacteria. The government of the Philippines should be applauded for attempting to protect the health and survival of Filipino infants in this way.”

WHO medical officer Howard Sobel, for his part, noted that 10,000 deaths could have been avoided if infants had been exclusively breastfed in the first six months of life. Formula-fed infants are 14 times more likely to die from diarrhea, according to Sobel.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer, June 18, 2007
Read related story Moms go bare for breastfeeding

WB: 19% of RP population in 2000 very poor

2007-04-17T14:16:00.000+08:00

At least 14.8 million Filipinos try to survive on less than $1 a day, accounting for 1.5 percent of the people in the world currently trapped in extreme poverty, according to latest World Bank estimates.

But some 43 million in the Philippines, based on the country’s population in 2000, live on $2 a day, the less extreme international measure of poverty.

Data from the World Development Indicators (WDI) 2007 showed that global poverty rates continued to fall in the first four years of the 21st century, with the proportion of people living on less than $1 a day falling below the 1 billion mark.

Two-dollar-a-day poverty rates were falling too, but an estimated 2.6 billion people, almost half the population of the developing world, were still living below that level in 2004.

The WDI Indicators 2007, a publication, was launched here on Sunday on the sidelines of the joint International Monetary Fund-World Bank spring meetings.

People living on less than $1 a day fell to 18.4 percent as a share of the total population in 2004, leaving an estimated 985 million people living in extreme poverty.

By comparison, the total number of the world’s extremely poor was 1.25 billion in 1990.

Between 1990 and 2004, dollar-a-day poverty fell by more than 260 million, according to the World Bank.

Filipinos living on the $1-a-day international poverty line accounted for 19 percent of the Philippine population of 76.5 million as of May 2000. (The country’s population today is about 88 million.)

Poverty measures, based on an international poverty line, attempt to hold the real value of poverty constant across countries, as done when making comparisons over time.

The commonly used $1-a-day standard, measured in 1985 international prices and adjusted to local currency, is typical of the poverty lines in low-income countries.

Read more...
By Doris Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
04/17/2007

HIV infections in Asia could more than double in 5 years: Commission

2007-04-10T15:01:00.000+08:00

The number of people in Asia infected with the HIV virus that causes AIDS could more than double to 20 million over the next five years without a better government response and more funding, officials warned Friday.

"At the current level of inadequate response, it is expected this number will rise to about 20 million in the next five years," said the independent Commission on Aids in Asia that is funded by the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS or UNAIDS.

There are currently around 8.6 million people infected in Asia with HIV. It said the number of deaths currently average around 500,000 yearly and financial losses to the Asian region are estimated at US$10
billion annually. But that economic cost is predicted to rise to as high as US$29 billion per year if the epidemic is not controlled within the next five years.

Despite these projections, investments on HIV control in the region remain extremely low at ten percent of the required US$5 billion per year, it added.

UNAIDS data show the number of infected people receiving antiretroviral therapy, which inhibits the replication of the HIV virus, has increased more than threefold since 2003, but they represent only 16 percent of the total of those in need of treatment in Asia.

Only Thailand is providing treatment to at least 50 percent of those in need, UNAIDS said.

The nine-member commission of economists, policy makers and civil society members was created in 2006 to analyze the socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS and make policy recommendations on how it can be
mitigated. The commission is holding its two-day Southeast Asia Sub-Regional workshop in Manila until Friday.

Chakravarthy Rangarajan, chairman of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's economic advisory council and head of the commission, told reporters that while the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is low in Southeast Asia, the region is populous, making the number of infections high.

It also has a huge number of mobile workers, who risk spreading HIV. He also said there was a need to mobilize domestic funds to control HIV/AIDS in the region, because more than 80 percent of funding
currently comes from foreign aid organizations.

In Southeast Asia, Laos and the Philippines are among those which have low HIV prevalence rates, while Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand are among those which have a high prevalence of the virus, according
to J. V. R. Prasada Rao, a UNAIDS director and a member of the commission.

The commission said the reasons for the inadequate response in the region are manifold, ranging from low levels of awareness and understanding among policy makers of the long term impact of HIV/AIDS
to a difficulty in predicting the dynamics of the disease progression, and a lack of funding.

Sex remains taboo, with very little encouragement for sex and family education for young people. Multi-partner sex and injecting drug use, which mainly drive the epidemic, are criminal acts in the eyes of the
law, resulting in infected populations remaining highly stigmatized and deprived of even limited health care services, it added.

(originally posted at AIDS_ASIA@yahoogroups.com)

It takes a community to successfully fight TB

2007-03-23T14:48:00.000+08:00

Rolando Quimpo, a carpenter who sports a pony tail, wears earrings and a sleeveless shirt, is not shy to show his daily card checks that indicate how he religiously took his daily oral tuberculosis medication for eight months, two months longer than usual.

A recent sputum test, the golden standard of TB tests, gave the 50-year-old grandfather a clean bill of health. He has also distanced himself from cigarettes and alcohol. Now, if he could only get carpentry jobs more often.

Quimpo and his wife were running an almusalan (breakfast nook offering cheap porridge and noodles at P5 to P10 per serving) but they had to stop when Quimpo was found to have TB. With Quimpo cured, they are now back in business.

Joel Alluson, 37, a father of two who works as a "freelancer sa Banawe" (he does odd jobs on Banawe Avenue, a car parts retail strip) "graduated" in December 2006 from his six-month daily treatment and is now TB-free. But he still has to have his regular checkup. He first learned about the anti-TB treatment from a TV ad.

The Quimpos and Allusons live in the congested Tatalon area in Quezon City where most houses are cramped, with little breathing space. Infectious diseases like TB spread easily if a sick person remains untreated. A tracking and monitoring system is key. Tatalon barangay volunteer worker Iluminada Basilio does her rounds to check on patients.

By Ma. Ceres P. DoyoPhilippine Daily Inquirer, 03/23/2007
Read more of this article...

See related story "World Stop TB Day" from WHO.

Drug Safety

2007-03-19T17:12:00.000+08:00

A man wakes up in the middle of the night with diarrhea, gropes around and takes what he thinks are anti-diarrheal tablets. Next thing you know, he is trying to kill his wife.

Over in Cavite province, men have started making decoctions out of a popular ornamental called coral plant, supposedly to enhance their virility. Yet, as early as 1921, Leon Maria Guerrero, an authority on Philippine medicinal plants, already wrote about the plant being a dangerous cathartic, meaning it causes severe diarrhea. In another botany book, "Burkill's Dictionary of Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula," I found out that the plant was used for "criminal poisoning" in Latin America.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that there are some 2 million serious adverse drug reactions (ADRs) each year in the United States, leading to about 100,000 fatalities and making ADRs the fourth leading cause of death in the country.

We don't have estimates on such cases and fatalities in the Philippines, but I am certain they are quite high. There are probably cases where people die of the medicines they were taking, without the family ever realizing it. Many medicinal plants, for example, have low levels of the dangerous substances, but these can accumulate; so even the persons taking the decoctions may not know they are being slowly poisoned.

The causes of ADRs in the country include carelessness among health professionals, a lack of health literacy among Filipinos, inadequate instructions on drug products, and unclear advice from health providers. I'd say, even the barrage of drug advertising, by proclaiming particular medicines as safewhen in fact, no drug, not even your "ordinary" pain-killers, not even your medicinal plants, is truly safecontributes to ADRs.

Read more...
By Michael L. Tan, Pinoy Kasi colum in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 16, 2007

Int’l survey: Filipinos most aware of global warming

2007-03-07T11:01:00.000+08:00

Filipinos with access to the Internet are among the people most aware of global warming, according to a survey by a multinational consumer research group.

The AC Nielsen “Online Consumer Opinion Survey,” conducted last November, covered 25,408 Internet users from 47 countries and territories in Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

The survey found that 94 percent of the 503 respondents from the Philippines had heard or read about global warming.

Only 13 percent of the American respondents said they were aware of global warming.

Seventy-six percent of the Filipinos said they thought global warming was “a very serious problem.” It was the highest percentage of those who said so in the Asia Pacific region and the fifth in the world after the Brazilians, the French and the Portuguese.

Moreover, half of the Filipinos polled thought human activities were to blame while 4 percent attributed the problem to natural changes in climate.

Forty-six percent pointed to both human activities and natural factors. One percent said they did not know.

Read full text from the Philippine Daily Inqurer, March 7, 2007

WHO Core Health Indicators

2007-02-27T14:45:00.001+08:00

The World Health Organization (WHO) online database provides the latest Core Health Indicators from WHO. With this system, you can find the most recent indicator information (for example, contraceptive prevalence rate, antenatal care coverage, deaths due to HIV/AIDS) in most countries around the world. Additionally, the system also allows you easily construct a table for any combination of countries, indicators and years.

You can access this excellent resource at: http://www3.who.int/whosis/core/core_select.cfm

Sexuality Research and Information Needs Assessment

2007-02-12T14:02:00.000+08:00

Last October, HAIN conducted a research entitled, "Sexuality Research and Information Needs Assessment (SRINA)." SRINA was conceptualized to further enhance existing SSPRF and HAIN efforts in addressing research information needs, access and use. The main objective is to further understand the context of gender and sexuality as it affects health and other organizations for national policy and program development.

A total of eighteen organizations were visited in five Southeast Asia countries which include Vietnam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and the Philippines. The organizations were from the academe, government and non-government organizations. Some of them are involved in research, social marketing, interventions and information work.

The country visits looked at the research information needs of organizations working on gender and sexuality and related fields such as population and HIV and AIDS. It also looked at how and where these institutions access information related to gender and sexuality. The research identified the problems in accessing information by the different organizations. Priority research topics and skills training needs were also identified (i.e. on the use of Internet and other information technologies. One important point that was raised by the research is how to make information available, usable and accessible for others.

This project was funded by the Social Science and Philosophy Research Foundation (University of the Philippines) and the Ford Foundation.

For more information about the research, feel free to contact us at HAIN.

Migration of Health Professionals: Boon or Bane?

2007-02-07T17:04:00.000+08:00

The migration of health professionals is not an entirely new phenomenon, but the latest wave is producing a more pronounced adverse impact on source countries due to the unusually high number of migrating health professionals.In the Philippines, 85 percent of registered nurses are working abroad. The demand has also spawned a phenomenon unique to the Philippines: doctors are leaving their profession to become nurses.

There is an estimated 4,000 Filipino doctors who are currently enrolled in nursing course. In Fiji, the number of registered nurses leaving for jobs abroad exceeds the number of new nursing graduates. According to Fiji Nursing Association secretary-general Kuini Lutea, the Pacific island produces between 150 to 160 new nursing graduates, but almost 50 percent of these are migrating to other countries.Doctors are also prime labor export. India is currently the top exporter of doctors; there are more Indian doctors in America than in India. The ratio of Indian doctors to American patients is 1:1325, while the ratio of Indian doctors to Indian patients is 1:2400. Pharmacists, medical technologists, and other allied medical professionals are also in demand.

Read More...

Code blue for global health

2007-01-16T11:38:00.000+08:00

Given the technological advances in the field of medicine, the possibilities for a healthy population are endless. However, given the current scenario, all these would remain just that – possibilities.

Communicable diseases
The prevalence of communicable diseases is a key social determinant as its occurrence is often concentrated in poor countries where sanitation, access to health care facilities, and nutrition are often problematic.

Tuberculosis, for example, remains to be a public health concern in most developing nations. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1/3 of the world’s population is infected with TB bacillus. In 2004, the Southeast Asian region recorded the highest number of new cases, accounting for 33 percent of recorded cases. The sub-Sahara African region, meanwhile, had the highest per capita incidence estimated at 400 cases per 100,000 population.

WHO also put to 1.7 million the number of deaths caused by TB. While highlighting the need for a comprehensive TB program, the report also put a positive spin on the control of the disease. It noted that in five out of six WHO regions, TB incidences were either stable or falling. The exception was sub-Saharan South Africa where the rising incidence of HIV/AIDS contributes to the growing number of TB cases.

Read more...

National Consultation on the HIV M&E System Conducted

2007-01-09T13:59:00.000+08:00

As part of Strengthening the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) System of the Philippine AIDS Response, PNAC, HAIN, and HDII organized the National Consultation (NatCon) on the HIV M&E System last December 4-5, 2006 at the Pearl Manila Hotel, Taft Avenue, Manila, Philippines.

The objectives of the NatCon were:
1. To share experiences and insights on the implementation of the M&E System.
2. To review and develop recommendations to improve the current M&E System.
3. To develop a plan of action on the implementation of the National and Local M&E Systems

A total of 66 participants coming from 9 Local AIDS Council pilot sites, PNAC, government agencies, non-government agencies, and development partners attended the NatCon.

Background
The project Strengthening the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) System of the Philippine HIV/AIDS Response has completed a series of consultations and trainings with non-government organizations (NGOs) and Local AIDS Councils (LACs) in institutionalizing Monitoring and Evaluation in the country. Through this project, and with the active participation of selected sites, we were able to pilot test the system. The response from the pilot sites has been very positive and supportive to make this project work in contributing to the country's overall goal to prevent the further spread of HIV infection and to reduce the impact of the disease on individuals, families, and communities.

After the NGOs, LACs and National Agencies have reported their data to the PNAC M&E Unit, the data were collated, analyzed and presented to the NatCon . The NatCon brought together all pilot sites from different regions to share their learnings and experiences in institutionalizing M&E System at the local level. It was also the time to reflect and examine which will work best in institutionalizing M&E System and how to move M&E forward.

The National Consultation
In behalf of Dr. Jean Marc Olive, Chair of UN Theme Group, Dr. R. Velayudhan of WHO gave the welcome remarks. Mr. Zimmbodilion Mosende, UNAIDS M&E Adviser set the NatCon at the global context and on the other hand, Dr. Ferchito Avelino, Director of PNAC Secretariat, at the local context. Ms. Noemi Bayoneta-Leis presented the milestones of the M&E country efforts.

Highlighting the two-day event was the "Data Presentation: Summary of Data Submitted by Pilot Sites." Dr. Jessie Fantone, PNAC M&E Officer, compared the data committed by each site and the actual data received.

Another highlight was the session on the "Reflections on the M&E System." Participants were grouped according to the following LACs, NGOs, and GOs. Development partners (i.e., UN Agencies and Donor community) immersed with the groups to listen and observe on the exchange of insights of the pilot sites. This exercise allowed the pilot sites to review and share their experiences on the whole process of establishing of M&E System. This was also the venue for them to hear about other sites' experiences and views. Recommendations were gathered as well on how to move the M&E forward.

The session on "Data Appreciation: The Cebu Experience" by Dr. Ofelia Saniel of the Asia-Pacific M&E Reference Group (AP-MERG) and Dr. Ilya Abellanosa-Tac-an of Cebu City enlighten more the participants, especially the pilot sites, on the making M&E work for advocacy, program planning, resource mobilization and to achieve the overall vision of Philippine AIDS Response.Equally important was the session on Planning. Results of the planning session will help in developing national M&E plan and in strengthening local M&E efforts.

To know more about HIV M&E System, check www.hain.org/me. For updates on M&E in the Philippines, check the http://www.hivmephilippines.blogspot.com.

Christmas Greetings!

2006-12-19T13:52:00.000+08:00

This year, HAIN celebrated its Christmas party with less fortunate kids. To us, it was our way of sharing and giving thanks for the good year we have had. Wishing you all every happiness at Christmas and in the New Year!

Global AIDS Epidemic Continues to Grow

2006-11-30T12:20:00.000+08:00

The global AIDS epidemic continues to grow and there is concerning evidence that some countries are seeing a resurgence in new HIV infection rates which were previously stable or declining. However, declines in infection rates are also being observed in some countries, as well as positive trends in young people's sexual behaviours.

According to the latest figures published today in the UNAIDS/WHO 2006 AIDS Epidemic Update, an estimated 39.5 million people are living with HIV. There were 4.3 million new infections in 2006 with 2.8 million (65%) of these occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and important increases in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where there are some indications that infection rates have risen by more than 50% since 2004. In 2006, 2.9 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses.

New data suggest that where HIV prevention programmes have not been sustained and/or adapted as epidemics have changed—infection rates in some countries are staying the same or going back up.

Source: UNAIDS. Read more...

Smart-Chart Approach National Plenary Held in Cebu

2006-11-17T15:05:00.000+08:00

Part of the challenges that reproductive health advocates face is finding effective ways to provide relevant, correct and adequate information on family planning that will move people into action.

With an aim to improve the advocacy capacity of reproductive health (RH) advocates, the Health Action Information Network (HAIN) had organized this year six training-workshops using the Spitfire Strategic Smart Chart Approach.

The training-workshops were part of HAIN’s ongoing project with the David and Lucile Packard Foundation which aims to promote effective education and advocacy on population and reproductive health issues in the Philippines.

The Smart Chart Approach to Strategic Communications taught the reproductive health advocates how to:
· Plan effectively and systematically
· Understand Goals
· Know the Target Audiences
· Make Correct Decisions, and
· How to Focus on Messages that Need to be put Across

HAIN has now trained more than 120 advocates from its six funded-workshops. Other organizations have also initiated echo workshops or small group presentations in their respective offices and networks even without funding from HAIN. Some of these organizations were the Philippine NGO Council, Family Planning Organization of the Philippines, the Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development, Employers Confederation of the Philippines and the Media Advocates for Reproductive Health.

To celebrate the success of the project and evaluate its impact, 25 selected Spitfire training alumni were gathered at a national plenary held at the Crown Regency Suites in Cebu City last October 24-26.
The plenary provided a venue for the training alumni to learn from the experiences of each other, build networks and gain additional skills on strategic communications.

After hearing the reports from the plenary participants, it was proved that the Smart Chart approach provided them with stronger enthusiasm in doing their advocacy work. Most of them have applied the tool in their organizations’ on-going advocacy activities.

With skills to make the rhetoric real and relevant to target audiences, reproductive health advocates are now able to communicate family planning and other reproductive health issues with a sharper communication tool to help transform words into action.

Indeed, the Smart Chart Approach to strategic communication planning has sparked what could be a communication wildfire.

For more information about the Smart Chart approach to communication planning, please contact HAIN or visit www.hain.org

Addressing Alcohol-Related Problems in Asia-Pacific

2006-09-04T11:10:00.000+08:00

The World Health Report revealed that alcohol was responsible for 3.2 percent of all premature death and four percent of global burden disease.

No region of the globe remains unaffected by this growing epidemic of harm caused by alcohol. In developed countries it is the third most serious health risk factor, contributing 9.2 percent of the disease burden. In some parts of the Western Pacific Region it is responsible for 6.2 percent and in other part 8.3 percent of the burden.

Similarly, in the South East Asia Region, it ranges from 1.6 to 6.2 percent.

With the addition of social harm, through alcohol related crime and disorder, domestic violence, neglect of family, child abuse, accidents, loss of productivity and poverty, a considerable economic burden is borne by society. The economic cost of alcohol to a nation has been shown by a number of students to range from 1 to 4.5 percent of gross domestic product.

More important is the pain and suffering of innocent third parties as well as that of users. When these intangibles are assessed then the social cost at least doubles the tangible economic cost.

Responding to the situation, the Asia Pacific Alcohol Policy Alliance (APAPA) was launched during the Bangkok Policy Conference held on 11th-12th August. APAPA is a network of organizations with the mission of reducing health and social alcohol-related problems by promoting effective evidence-based alcohol policies independent of commercial interests.

Read more...

Strategy Drives Tactics: The Smart Communication Workshop

2006-08-08T11:50:00.000+08:00

Health Action Information Network (HAIN) conducted the 2nd Smart Chart-Spitfire Strategies Training-Workshop last July 27-28 at Fersal Place in Quezon City.

The training-workshop was part of HAIN’s ongoing project with the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, which aims to promote effective education and advocacy on population and reproductive health issues in the Philippines.

Twenty participants attended the workshop - 17 of whom were from Metro Manila, one from Pampanga and two from Bicol. The participants were all involved in Reproductive Health issues and advocacy activities. At least eight of them have attended the Religion, Gender and Sexuality (RGS) workshop which HAIN also conducted last June 21-24. They were invited to attend the Strategic Communication training to complement their learning from the RGS workshop with advocacy skills. This also provided a venue for the RGS participants to hold a meeting for updates.

The workshop trained the participants to plan for and use strategic communications to advance their program goals. Through the use of the Smart Chart, the workshop trained the participants to use a systematic and effective communications approach in reproductive health advocacy.

Read more

Monitoring and Evaluation of Philippine HIV/AIDS Response

2006-07-13T23:53:00.000+08:00

HAIN manages and coordinates the project "Strengthening the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) System of the Philippine HIV/AIDS Response.” The Project started in January 2006 and will be implemented for one year in partnership with Health Development Initiatives Institute (HDII)) and is supported by the Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC) and the UNAIDS. The Project supplements and complements earlier efforts undertaken to put in place a comprehensive national Monitoring and Evaluation System for HIV/AIDS. [Photo: M&E Workshop in Tagaytay, March 16-17, 2006]

The M&E Project aims to achieve the following objectives:

1. Produce an M&E Plan for NGOs and pilot the NGO M&E plan in three sites
2. Introduce and install Country Response Information System (CRIS) in 10 M&E centers at the local level, three subnational and two national pilot sites
3. Create a Monitoring & Evaluation Harmonization and Implementation Plan in 10 local level sites.
4. Prepare a Resource Monitoring Plan and incorporate the plan into the overall M&E System
5. Set-up an integrated Research Plan for STI/HIV/AIDS
6. Set-up Quality Control measures for M&E

Upcoming activities:
HAIN will be conducting an M&E capability building training entitled “Data Management Training” for NGOs working on HIV and AIDS. Four trainings are set in July, August, and September 2006. Please contact HAIN for details and application.

UNICEF Published HAIN Study on Youth and HIV/AIDS

2006-07-07T15:35:00.000+08:00

In 2005, HAIN conducted a study on the “Knowledge, Attitude, Behavior and Practices on HIV/AIDS among Filipino Youth and Health Workers”. This was project supported and was published this year by UNICEF.

The project aims to look at how today’s young people’s knowledge, attitude and behavior on SRH is influenced by other factors such as family relations, social influences, media exposure and involvement in non-sexual risk behaviors. It also looks at the delivery of reproductive health services to the youth, the availability and accessibility of youth-friendly services in health centers.

The data in this report serves as a baseline data and guide for UNICEF in designing HIV/AIDS and ARH programs and interventions in their selected sites.

The study covered 4111 youth and 216 health workers. The study was conducted in the National Capital Region (Quezon City, Pasay and Manila), Camarines Norte, Iloilo, Guimaras, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Davao, Maguindanao, Sarangani and Zamboanga.

The survey of youth aged 12-20 in the 12 UNICEF project sites brought up some interesting findings on the level of knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of young people regarding HIV/AIDS, condom, their sexual practice and utilization of reproductive health services.

Knowledge of HIV, AIDS and condom increases with age, and is high among those with high education and in school adolescents. Sixteen percent of youths in the survey are sexually active. More young people from the major urban cities have engaged in sex. The sexual activities include oral sex, anal sex, penetrative sex and same-sex sex. Condom use however is still low among sexually active youth. Results also show that younger youth are likely to use condom the first time, and this improved slightly with higher number of older youth using condom in their last sexual episode.

Similarly, the youth survey also found that there is greater confidence among young women to negotiate for condom use and decide on the timing and choice of their sexual partner, as well as discussing sexual issues with health service providers. This is a good indication that young people, especially the girls are becoming aware of their rights as regards information on sex related issues.

The 6th Religion, Gender & Sexuality Workshop

2006-07-03T23:46:00.000+08:00

Twenty three Reproductive Health advocates attended the 6th Religion, Gender & Sexuality Workshop at the Meralco Management and Leadership Development Center in Antipolo City on July 21-24, 2006.

This training workshop dealt with religion and its effect and impact on the popular perceptions of gender and sexuality in the Philippines. In a predominantly Roman Catholic country such as the Philippines, the church poses as a major block in population and reproductive health work, particularly in developing programs and policies in support to these causes.

The workshop aimed to give participants tools for discernment so Catholics can make informed decisions about gender and sexuality-related issues, including family planning, abortion and homosexuality. At the same time, the workshop served as a venue for RH advocates to be able to reconcile their personal faith with their work.

Most of the workshops came from the National Capital Region aside from the four delegates from Bicol Region and two from CAR. The first five workshops were conducted by HAIN in 2005. This was the first time HAIN conducted RGS workshop with participants belonging from different religious denominations. The first five were exclusively for Catholic RH advocates only.

Visit www.sexandreligion.blogspot.com

Most LGU officials do not or can not do their job of keeping our food safe

2006-07-03T04:19:00.000+08:00

By Likha Cuevas
The Manila Times, July 2, 2006

National laws exist to promote food safety and penalize violations of food-safety regulations. Cabinet departments have large budgets and laddered layers of bureaucrats and personnel assigned to do their food-safety tasks in regional, provincial and municipal offices all over the archipelago.

Ultimately, however, the job of ensuring the safety of foods bought and eaten by the people is not only that of the national government but of city, town and barangay officials.

Sadly, few of them are able to do this job thoroughly and well.

Some LGU officials claim that they have food-safety measures in place to protect their constituents. Under Sanitation Code, LGUs require health and sanitation certificates—issued by the local health service—before giving food handlers and vendors permits to operate. They require handlers and vendors to give urinary and sputum samples, undergo drug tests and medical checkup.

Dr. Raquel Sosayo, Caloocan City health officer, said the city government also requires vendors and food handlers to attend the training sessions it gives before releasing the sanitary permits.

“We also go around the school canteens and inspect ambulant vendors around schools to ensure they do not serve the children unsanitary food,” she said. “We really cannot eliminate street vendors, because the act would have economic repercussions on them and the whole city.”

Quezon City also inspects the premises of applicants for permits. Dr. Antoineta Inumerable, head of the city health department, said her office also conducts food safety seminars for managers and workers of food establishments and factories but “only once.”

HAIN held Strategic Communications Workshop

2006-07-03T03:39:00.000+08:00

The Strategic Communication workshop aims to build RH organizations’ capacity to plan for and use strategic communications to advance their program goals. This workshop adopts the Spitfire Strategies (www.spitfirestrategies.com).

HAIN is offering this interactive training workshop as part of our ongoing commitment to promote effective education and advocacy on population and reproductive health issues in the Philippines. Over the two-day workshop, participants learn how to use the "Smart Chart" to enrich their communications approach.

The first workshop was held at the Meralco Management and Leadership Development Center (Meralco Foundation) in Antipolo City on May 19-20, 2006. This first workshop was facilitated by Kristen Grimm and Gwyn Hicks of the Spitfire Communications, a communications consulting firm based in Washington, D.C.

Twenty three participants attended the workshop, 10 of whom were from Metro Manila, two from Luzon, 10 from the Visayas and one from Mindanao. The participants were all involved in RH issues and advocacy activities.

A Train-the-Trainer workshop was also held on April 21 among 10 selected participants to further build the collective capacity of Smart Chart trainors in the Philippines. This session helped strengthened the training skills of the participants.

A series of echo workshops will be held in other parts of the country to enhance strategic communications of other RH advocates. For more information and inquiries, please contact HAIN.

New Issue of HA-AP: Communicating for Advocacy: An Agent for Social Change

2006-07-02T04:17:00.000+08:00

This issue of Health Alert Asia Pacific showcases the achievements of the Communicating for Advocacy Project (CFA) as summarized in the declaration of unity which all the partners agreed during the CFA Plenary held in Dhaka, Bangladesh in September 2005. This issue also talks about testaments of four advocates that illustrate what an empowered population can do to effect meaningful changes in their communities. Their stories put a human dimension to the seemingly abstract achievement of CFA.

The CFA project started in 2002 by four non-governmental organizations – Healthlink Worldwide, UK, Health Action Information Network, Philippines, Cambodia Health Education Median Services, and the Social Assistance and Rehabilitation of the Physically Vulnerable, Bangladesh.

The project aims to provide a venue where community groups and individuals can develop their capacity to influence practice and policy change. It also aims to develop capacity for information exchange and skills transfer by health and development agencies.

As the first phase of the CFA project drew to a close, it is important to look back at the gains that have been achieved in the past three years. The key and core partners demonstrated diverse learning experiences in advocacy. At the same time, all the partners carried out their own advocacy works that resulted in actual changes.

The success of the CFA may be attributed to its framework – that advocacy must be people-centered and rights-based. This empowered the people, allowing them to speak for themselves and make a difference.

The project itself may be over, but its relevance remains. The next challenge therefore is to set the direction of advocacy; to put it in its proper context. After all, where the project ends, the real work begins.