Western visayas: More than 470,000 residents from 1,103 sites identified as unserved and underserved communities for primary healthcare in Western Visayas are the focus of the PuroKalusugan program by the Department of Health (DOH) this year. The program aims to enhance primary healthcare services at the local level.
According to Philippines News Agency, John Michael A±es, Senior Health Program Officer at the DOH Western Visayas Center for Health Development, emphasized the program's strategy to visit 40 percent of the total barangays in Western Visayas by 2026, covering around 1,103 sites. The initiative involves collaboration with all human resources for health under the National Health Workforce Support System in the region.
The DOH has partnered with local government units to provide health services, while Barangay Health Workers are tasked with conducting household profiling, tracking defaulters, and delivering health teachings. As of the first quarter of this year, the program has served 124,431 clients, offering services in areas such as nutrition, cancer screening, immunization, maternal health, and non-communicable diseases.
In the previous year, the program was implemented in 303 sites across 169 barangays in Western Visayas. Regional Director Helen Tobias highlighted the program's mission to bring healthcare closer to communities by empowering families and neighborhoods to actively participate in health promotion and disease prevention.
