Magkakaloob ang Department of Health (DOH) – Ilocos Region ng ₱11 milyong pondo sa lalawigan ng Ilocos Sur, na isa sa mga expansion sites para sa Universal Health Care – City/Province-Wide Healthy Setting (UHC-C/PWHS).

Sa isang kalatas nitong Miyerkules, sinabi ng DOH-Ilocos Region na layunin nitong pondohan ang epektibo, episyente at equitable na implementasyon ng Healthy Settings Program na nakapokus sa pagpapatupad ng Healthy Learning Institutions (HLI) sa lalawigan.

“This fund will be utilized in the implementation of HLI programs such as capacity building, action planning, monitoring and evaluation and other activities necessary to support the roll-out including immunization, mental health and comprehensive sexuality education/adolescent reproductive health,” mensahe ni Regional Director Pula Paz M. Sydiongco, sa HLI capacity building activity kamakailan, sa San Juan, La Union at dinaluhan ng mga miyembro ng Department of Education (DepEd) Regional Office I at local government units ng Ilocos Sur province.

Sinabi pa ni Sydiongco na, “Ang Ilocos Sur ang may pinakamaraming public schools na nasa GIDAs at malalayong barangay na tinatawag na last mile elementary school (LMES) at mayroon tayong 206 na identified sa buong probinsya.. Eto yung mga may less than four classrooms,walang kuryente, walang pondo for repair at no construction projects for the last four years.”

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13-anyos na babae, hinalay matapos mangaroling

“We will be assisting in the establishment of health promotion programs in these LMES and will provide an avenue for population-based health interventions, age-appropriate health education, and implementation of health-promoting policies to improve the development of health literacy and behavior among Filipino learners’,”dagdag pa niya.

Ang HLIs ay mga paaralan na nagsusulong ng health at well-being ng mga learners at personnel alinsunod sa six pillars ng Health Promotion Framework Strategies (HPFS) Initiative ng DOH para sap ag-mobilisa ng school health promotion at education activities, na kinabibilangan ng healthy public policy, physical school environment, social school environment, links with the community, health skills and education, at access to health care.

“We have a responsibility to ensure that school environments are the best they can be and the health and well-being of learners are prioritized and well taken care of. And we can achieve this by establishing health-promoting schools, which are a means of organizing and linking all the crucial components which shape their health,” aniya pa.

Nabatid na ang pondo ay ipagkakaloob ng DOH sa provincial government ng Ilocos Sur na siyang mangunguna sa implementasyon ng HLI programs sa 30 identified LMES katuwang ang DepEd Schools Division Office at local government units.