Mauswagong Mirangan

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Healthy Mothers for a Healthy Community

During a community survey conducted last October 2011in barangay Mirangan, it revealed that only 54% of pregnant mothers are seeking prenatal care services at the barangay health station. Upon interview with the barangay health workers and the community residents, it was noted that the following were considered to be the cause of low utilization of prenatal care services in the community

§ Expectant mothers disregarding ill effects of home deliveries which may be related to knowledge deficit and low salience of the problem

§ The distance and the burden of traveling undeveloped road to get to the health station

§ The practice of traditional birth attendants “mananabang” or “hilot” which encourages expectant mothers to deliver at home

§ There is a need for further improvement on the knowledge and practices of barangay health workers in the delivery of prenatal care services

§ Lack of a systematic monitoring and referral scheme

§ Lack of political will

§ Lack of determination to conduct health promotion and disease prevention activities

Coordination with key organizations in the community and assembly meetings were conducted in order to disseminate information and hold a dialogue with the community residents are needed to realize the program’s feasibility. Interventions that are more applicable and acceptable for their current situation are sought to increase the chances of adapting these projects. Existing legislative support reinforces programs as necessary especially when it comes to home deliveries attended by traditional birth attendants. Barriers in accessing prenatal care were addressed, particularly its accessibility, availability and its quality and provide solutions to these barriers.

For the accessibility, the team improved existing Community Learning and Recreation Centers (CLARCs) especially in distant hamlets. These CLARCs were now considered to be the barangay’s “health hub” where the health workers can conduct series of health teaching and prenatal care. Health bulletins were installed and health related IECs were also posted.

For the availability of prenatal care services, the team assessed the current status of the Barangay Health Station through the utilization of DOH Evaluation Checklists. Other necessary equipment and supplies needed for prenatal care were noted.

For the quality, the team emphasized the importance of training health workers and other health volunteers (Purok Emergency Response Team (PERT) Members) in delivering basic prenatal care services. To further enhance the delivery of these services, the team had adopted Project Maternal Assistance and Monitoring Activity or Project M.A.M.A. With this scheme, those pregnant populations of different hamlets were monitored and additional assistance was given. The team, through the efforts of the barangay council came up with proposed resolutions to sustain proposed activities like recognizing PERT volunteer members for Project M.A.M.A and approving the observance of Health Consciousness Week as an annual event in the barangay.

The commitment of the health workers and community health volunteers in providing the best health care available at the barangay level would ensure the sustainability of the proposed strategies. Improvement of existing systematic referrals and monitoring schemes and integrating innovative strategies like Project M.A.M.A. devised by the key persons in the barangay would provide a sense of ownership. Copies of training manuals for health care workers were also provided to ensure efficient delivery of prenatal care services in the community. They were also encouraged to do monitoring and house-to-house visits. The team also made efforts in establishing active partnership with the Siay Rural Health Unit and other intersectoral collaborations for on-going projects. Strengthening Municipal ordinances and barangay resolutions supporting the programs on prenatal care were also done. Furthermore, collaboration with the various organizations in the community and by involving them in the activities and programs implemented would make them feel empowered and further improve their goal to a healthy community.

Positive outcomes were revealed, as shown on figure above, out of the activities and projects conducted, the team concluded that the interventions employed in the realization of the goals for this problem are effective. The objective towards an increase of utilization of prenatal services in the barangay health station from 54% from 2011 to 100% as of February 2015 was attained.

Integration of Project MAMA focusing on giving assistance and monitoring of pregnant mothers in the barangay

Creation of Purok Emergency Response Team and integration of Emergency Referral System

Active Health Workers doing house-to-house surveys and health teaching

CLARCs now considered as "Health-hub"

Improving the CLARCs and installation of Health Bulleting Boards

Mirangan's Buntis Congress

Conduct Barangay Health Workers Training Seminar that focuses on proper delivery of prenatal care services

Mauswagong Mirangan Through Alternative Income-Generating Projects

In the beginning, several causes were identified that caused the members of the community to have insufficient family income. These are: limited education, undiversified rural economy, and unfavorable climate for investment. Meetings were conducted to formulate solutions for this problems. Several government and non-government agencies were also visited to solicit solutions for the problems. With the help of the different agencies and of the members of the community, a plan of action was formulated. This plan action consisted of pre-operational, operational and post-operational stages. In the pre-operational phase, meetings were conducted to assess the available resources, inherent skills of the workers and the possible solutions that could be carried out. With the information gained, several actions were implemented to address each factor of concern. Since majority of the members of the community are farmers, coordination with the Department of Agriculture was done to solicit seminars on how to increase their production and to implore new seedlings to diversify their crop production. The relationship of the local farmer’s association and of the Department was also improved for easy access to any available programs in the future. But the farmers are just a part of the labor force of Mirangan, 85%; another are the housewives and out of school youth in the community, which compromise 41% of the work force. A significant number to consider. Hence, to insure the increase of their productivity, vocational seminars were conducted by the Kabasalan Institute of Technology. 27 housewives and 3 out of school youth attended the Bread and Pastry Production seminar and were certified as Bakers. While 50 out of school youth underwent the Shielded Metal Arc Welding vocational seminar and were certified as Welders. With this increase in their arsenal of skills, 3 of the certified bakers were employed at a local bakeshop, while 25 of the welders were enrolled in the Special Training for Employment Program of the provincial government to ensure their employment. The rest of the 27 bakers put of their own bakery in the barangay with the help of the barangay council and non-government agencies. This local bakery was named, Mirangan Bakery. It will be a venue where members of the community could practice their craft and earn for a living at the same time in the comfort of their own barangay. Hence, after the implementation of the different activities that were conducted to solve the problem of insufficient family income, the post-operation stage begins. In this stage, activities were conducted to guarantee the sustainability of the different projects. Management classes were conducted to the members of the bakery to increase their knowledge in handling their business. Barangay resolutions were also made to address any problems regarding the livelihood of the barangay. In general, the different factors were addressed and the different members of the work force were considered and given opportunities to be economically productive.

Meeting with Municipal Agriculturist for seminars regarding new farming methods

Procurement of seeds from Department of Agriculture Technician for Distribution

Conduct Self-Awareness Leadership Training Program for the Key Persons in the Community

Orientation on Organic Farming by Agriculture Technician

Bread and Pastry Production Vocational Seminar conducted by TESDA

Seminar conducted by Agriculture Technician on Vermiculture

Graduates of Shielded Metal Arc Welding availing of Start-up Kit from Provencial Government

Waste Segregation: For A Cleaner Barangay Mirangan

During the health survey conducted last October 2011, data revealed that among 292 target households in barangay Mirangan, 65% do not practice garbage segregation while only 35% are practicing segregation. For those who do not practice waste segregation, 58% burn their garbage and the remaining 42% practice open dumping of their waste.

On a deeper interview, it was noted that the people are unaware of the health consequences that improper solid waste management at the household level poses. The geographical location of the barangay served as a barrier in establishing “collect and transport” waste management plans. In addition, the road going to Barangay Mirangan is still underdeveloped. For this reason, the municipality continues to have a problem on the collection of the generated garbage in the area.

In the initiation phase, focus was mainly on the assessment, presentation of the problem to various organizations at the barangay, generating ideas for solving the issues, coordinating with the proper agencies concerned and activities aimed at program planning. It was then followed by activities for the implementation of planned intervention by the community and medical students.

Guided by the R.A 9003, solutions created by the community together with the medical students are the following:

· Waste Management Plans were proposed in accordance with R.A. 9003 focusing on the 3R’s (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle).

· Barangay waste management committee was formed from the core group as stipulated under R.A. 9003.

· “Zero Basura” that gives emphasis on reduction of wastes being generated and reduction of wastes to be disposed through segregation at source was promoted through presented waste management scheme.

· A series of health education on proper solid waste segregation at household level were conducted. Different population group were the target of education that includes mothers or representative head per households, youth and elementary students. Passive health information was also done through posters per purok and distribution of pamphlet per households.

Community involvement such as cleanup activity per week was applied and two pits per cluster of households for disposal of biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes were constructed. At least 30 meters away from the water sources.

“Basura Patrol” was created. Every hamlet should have a group of people from the hamlet officers, core group members and youth volunteers responsible for the solid waste management to which they belong. Their function is to ascertain the maintenance of proper waste segregation and proper waste disposal within cluster of households.

Conducted a school campaign on proper solid waste management with the SK Officers and youth volunteers promoting proper garbage segregation and utilization of compost pit and recycling through information dissemination.

Ordinances and resolutions such as mandatory waste segregation, compost pit per households and no burning of rice hull were created to support the activity on garbage.

Lastly, program scheme was presented to the municipal level for approval, support and implementation.

The solution generated is perceived as acceptable and sustainable by the community. The present ordinance and resolution of the barangay shall be the base support of the activities promoting the proper solid waste management. The barangay waste management committee was formed, headed by present barangay council on environmental sanitation, Mr. Reneboy Samonte and former council on environmental sanitation, Mr. Ariel Oroc. This committee was given the function to monitor through the use of evaluation tool and submit a report on the activity of households every month during the first barangay session of the month. Under the mentioned committee, Basura Patrol, a sub-group, headed by hamlet leaders, was provided the responsibility to ascertain the function of the group per hamlet.

With these, an increased in number of households were noted over the years, from 102 (35%) during 2012, then 149 (51%) during 2013, to 188 (64%) on 2014. The team Mauswagong Mirangan – medical students and community, therefore concludes that “Malinis Na Kapaligiran” has been achieved.