SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (PIA) – The Department of Health (DOH) Ilocos conducted an orientation on the 2022 Updated Barangay Health Workers (BHW) Reference Manual on Health Services and Policies for 40 BHW federation presidents held on September 19-21 in Dagupan City.
The 2022 Updated BHW Reference Manual on Health Services and Policies contains topics on the roles of BHWs, relevant policies on Barangay Health Station (BHS), self-management and workplace innovation skills, occupational safety and health, service quality, infection prevention and control, first aid and herbal medicines, community disaster risk reduction and management, primary care services, priority areas on health promotion and corresponding health programs, monitoring of health status, profiling and master listing and maintenance of BHS.
Regional BHW Coordinator Ma. Lourdes Ducusin said that all BHWs in the Ilocos region will have their copies of the updated manuals and will soon be undergoing the same orientation activity to update their skills and competencies to enable them to provide more primary care services in their barangays.
“Our BHWs need constant updates to enhance their core competencies and we encourage them to continue attending seminars and training to update and improve their knowledge, skills, and attitude, which can eventually improve their self-confidence and performance in providing healthcare services,” Ducusin said.
She added, “Mahalaga na ang ating mga BHWs ay may kakayahan na maitaguyod ang kanilang tungkulin bilang tagapangalaga ng kalusugan ng kanilang barangay. They are the most important members of our health team, because they are at the forefront of healthcare delivery.”
Meanwhile, DOH Ilocos assistant regional director Rodolfo Antonio Albornoz announced in that event the recent issuance of a joint memorandum circular (JMC) by the DOH and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ensuring the security of tenure for BHWs.
Albornoz said, “Ang isang napaka-importanteng provision nito ay ang protection of BHWs against termination without due process. Kaya huwag na po kayong mag-alinlangan na kayo ay tatanggalin o mapapalitan sakaling magbago man ang liderato ng mga lokal na opisyal sa inyong mga barangay sa darating na eleksyon.”
“The JMC ensures job security and also guarantees the uninterrupted delivery of essential primary care services in every barangay, in line with the government’s commitment to achieving universal health coverage because BHWs who have undergone proper training and skills development will continue with their work unhampered,” he added.
The circular also provides that “voluntary basic health services” rendered by a BHW shall be retained, “unless otherwise, their performance is unsatisfactory as deliberated within the local health board.”
The JMC 2023-001 was signed by DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa and DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos, Jr. on August 24, 2023.
It will help enforce the provisions of Republic Act 7883, also known as the BHW Incentives and Benefits Act of 1995, and the Universal Health Care Act. (JCR/AMB/PIA Region 1)
