VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) – The Herbal Medicine Access Program or HerbMAP of the Department of Health (DOH) has reached the residents of San Emilio town, one of the Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) in the province.
The DOH in Ilocos Region, through the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC), recently launched the HerbMAP in the said town in support of the goals of Universal Health Care (UHC) for free access to essential medicines.
HerbMAP Homecare Package
The HerbMAP Homecare Package is a box of lagundi tablets for the treatment of cough and asthma, one bottle of virgin coconut oil for food supplement, antibacterial soaps including guava soap used for washing of wounds and sore, and “akapulko” soap for use in washing of skin problems caused by fungal infections like scabies and ringworm.
DOH Regional Director Dr. Paula Paz Sydiongco said this aims to provide safe, effective, and quality herbal medicines and products manufactured by PITAHC which promotes and advocates the use of traditional medicines and products to Filipino households to treat common ailments
“Ang HerbMAP ay naglalayon na makapagbigay ng epektibo at de-kalidad na gamot at produktong herbal na makakatulong sa pangangalaga ng kanilang kalusugan ng ating mga kababayan. Prayoridad natin mabigyan ng libre ang mga residente na nasa GIDA at kabilang sa listahan ng mga nasa marginalized and underserved population,” Dr. Sydiongco said.
The DOH will prioritize the distribution of HerbMAP packs in identified GIDAs of Ilocos Sur province, said Helen Posilero, Regional Program Manager for tradition and herbal medicines.
“Napakaimportante na mai-promote natin ang paggamit ng herbal medicines dahil marami tayong mga halaman at bungang kahoy na nakapagbibigay sa ating katawan ng kaginhawaan at lunas,” she said.
Nutribox
Apart from the HerbMAP homecare packages, the DOH also distributed Nutribox packages for some 38 pregnant women in San Emilio town.
The package contained 10 kgs iron-fortified rice, texturized vegetable protein, dehydrated vegetables, iodized salt, and margarine.
“The nutribox is a diet supplementation package for the First 1000 Days program for pregnant women to prevent the prevalence of low-birth weight prevalence in the region, especially those living in remote communities and GIDAs,” Sydiongco said.
Only identified GIDAs will be prioritized for the Nutribox distribution, the DOH clarified.
“Ang nutribox program ay magbibigay ng karagdagang pangangailangang mga bitamina upang ma-improve ang nutritional status ng selected nutritionally-at-risk pregnant women para maiwasan ang pagkakaroon ng baby nila ng low birth weight and iba pang birth defects,” Sydiongco explained.
Jovita Leny Calaguas, Ilocos Regional Nutritionist and Dietician, said that the first 1,000 days covering a woman’s pregnancy period up to the first two years of the child’s life must be well taken care of.
“It is important that we intervene, even before a child is born, we have to provide the mother the essential nutrients she needs for her baby to become healthy,” Calaguas added. (JCR/MJTAB/JMCQ, PIA Ilocos Sur)
