Pinaalalahanan ni Department of Health (DOH)– Ilocos Regional Director Paula Paz M. Sydiongco ang publiko na protektahan ang kanilang mga puso upang maiwasang magkaroon ng cardiovascular diseases, sa pamamagitan nang pagkakaroon ng physical activity, pagkain ng masusustansiya at pagkakaroon ng tamang diet.

Sa isang pahayag nitong Biyernes, sinabi ni Sydiongco na kadalasang tinatamaan ng sakit sa puso ay matatanda, ngunit nagiging problema na rin aniya ito ng ilang kabataan sa ngayon.

Aniya, batay sa datos, sa Region 1 ay pangalawa ang heart diseases na may mortality rate na 107%, habang ang nangunguna naman ay ang respiratory diseases na mayroong 110% mortality rate.

Dahil dito, higit aniyang pinaiigting ng pamahalaan ang kanilang kampanya upang maiwasan ang pagkamatay dahil sa mga naturang karamdaman.

Nabatid na nitong Pebrero 20 lamang, pinangunahan ni Sydiongco ang pagbubukas ng KaHeartner Campaign sa Saint Louis College (SLC) sa San Fernando City, La Union.

“This KaHeartner Campaign is a national campaign that spotlights cardiovascular health. Kadalasan ay ang mga elderly natin ang tinatamaan nito ngunit isa na rin itong suliranin ngayon sa ating kabataang edad 16 to 24 years old," ani Syndiongco.

“We need to focus on preventing the onset of cardiovascular diseases heart diseases through an effective health promotion program and activities. That is why we are launching the “KaHeartner Campaign” not just to celebrate heart month but also to motivate Filipinos to get involved and adopt healthy lifestyle," aniya pa.

“By enabling ourselves to acquire the proper information and having an informed choice towards a wide range of social and environmental interventions we can have the ability to cope with and address health challenges which can lead us to improve our health," dagdag pa ng DOH official.

“This is the essence of health promotion and this is the reason why we are advocating this very important activity – to build healthy public policies, create supportive environments, and strengthen community action and personal skills,” aniya pa. 

Nabatid na sa naturang programa, naglunsad rin ng mga aktibidad ang mga partner agencies, gaya ng bikeathon, dance competition, hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), focus group discussion hinggil sa lifestyle diseases, cooking demo, prescriptions sa healthy diet, exercise at paninigarilyo; oral health service, PHILPEN (Philippine Package of Essential Non-communicable Disease Prevention) at medical consultation.

Nagtayo rin ng ilang booths para sa COVID-19 vaccination, drug abuse awareness, smoking prevention at nutrition.

Ani Sydiongco, kabuuang 1,300 students at faculty ng SLC ang nag-avail ng iba't ibang health services sa naturang isang araw na aktibidad. 

Isinagawa anila ang kampanya sa pakikipagtulungan ng Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, National Nutrition Council, PNP, BJMP, DSWD, La Union PHO, DPWH, DENR at PIA.

 “I enjoin everyone to boost our efforts in providing health information to lessen non-communicable diseases in the region,” pagtatapos pa ni Sydiongco.