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- Category: Region 9
Hand washing is one of the simplest and most effective means of preventing the spread of viruses and other infectious diseases. Especially this time of pandemic, the Department of Health (DOH) and medical health workers suggest to wash our hands as many times as possible to avoid the spread of the virus. According to World Health Organization (WHO), hand hygiene is the primary measure proven to be effective in preventing infections and diseases. In fact, handwashing can reduce diarrheal diseases by 30% to 48% and can reduce acute respiratory infections by 20%.
Global Handwashing Day is a global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness about the importance of hand hygiene, especially through handwashing with soap. This year’s theme is “Hand Hygiene for All”, a call to action to make hand hygiene a reality for all. The theme is in line with the new Hand Hygiene for All initiative led by the WHO and UNICEF.
Read more: Wash your hands frequently, especially amidst COVID-19 pandemic
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- Category: Region 9
People seem to have overlooked the advantages of doing exercise. They tend to ignore this important activity either because they don’t have time to go to the gym or sometimes, they are not in the mood to move their bodies. However, being active has shown to have many health benefits, both physically and mentally. Especially during this time of quarantine where people are encouraged to stay at home, it is important to have time for physical activities.
Exercise plays an important role in weight management and preventing obesity thus reducing your risk of heart diseases and other non-communicable diseases. It also boosts mental and energy level. It’s never too late to start or change your exercise habits. You can start slowly and find ways to have more physical activities in your life even at your own home. Here are some simple exercises you can do at home:
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- Category: Region 9
The World Health Organization (WHO) defined mental health as a state of well-being where a person can realize his or her own abilities to cope with normal stresses of life and work productively. In reality, this definition emphasizes that mental health is not just the absence of psychiatric disorder or illness but a positive state of wellbeing. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects our thinking, feelings as well as our actions. Mental health is important at every stage of life from childhood through adulthood. If someone experiences mental health problems, his thinking, mood and behavior will be affected. Thus, National Mental Health Week is celebrated every second week of October pursuant to Proclamation No. 452, which was signed by former President Fidel V. Ramos in 1994 which is in accordance with the celebration of World Mental Health Day on October 10. And P.N. 452 which aims to raise greater public awareness and support for mental health. It has triggered more active international communications, which lead to a stronger adaptation worldwide among participating organizations.
According to Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque there is an increase in monthly calls in the hotlines of National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) regarding depression, with numbers rising from 80 calls pre-lockdown to nearly 400. It is in this regard that Secretary Duque emphasized the importance of mental health. “The importance of mental health initiatives is just as crucial as those for the COVID-19 pandemic… Now more than ever, we need to promise holistic health, where we are caring for the body, the mind, and even the spirit”
Read more: Take care of your mental health, reach out and help someone today
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- Category: Region 9
The Department of Science and Technology Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) launched its Malnutrition Reduction Program (MRP) in 2011. The MRP is DOST’s response to address the persistent problem of malnutrition among Filipino infants and young children. The program uses a mix of intervention on local technology, supplementary feeding, and nutrition education. One of the interventions include the DOST PINOY (Package for the Improvement of Nutrition Of Young Children) which uses feeding of FNRI-developed, local based complementary foods made of rice, mongo, and sesame, rich in protein ang energy among six months to below three years old children and nutrition education of their mothers and caregivers.
The Municipality of Tungawan in the Province of Zamboanga Sibugay is a beneficiary of the setting up of DOST’s assisted Complementary Food Production Facility. The program started in their locality on 2 December 2014 when DOST-FNRI conducted a DOST PINOY advocacy among Municipal Nutrition Committee (MNC) members and thereafter, a two-day training-workshop on nutrition modules and cooking demonstration was held on 13-14 January 2015. In line with this, the LGU of Tungawan adopted the largescale complementary food production and its facility was inaugurated on 13 May 2015.
Read more: LGU of Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay implements DOST’s Malnutrition Reduction Program
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- Category: Region 9
Since 2014, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) gives due recognition to regional offices for commendable performance in the management of NNC Website under various categories in the NNC Webby Awards which is held annually. However, it was noted that there are a number of critical performance indicators that were not being recognized by the annual webby awards. Thus, the NNC launched the NNC-Q Special Webby Awards which will be conducted every quarter. Six (6) types of special award shall be presented every quarter, namely: (1) NNC-Q Webby Award for the Highest Number of Articles Posted; (2) NNC-Q Webby Award for the Most Visited Webpage; (3) NNC-Q Webby Award for the Highest Number of Likes; (4) NNC-Q Webby Award for the Highest Social Media Engagement; (5) NNC-Q Webby Award for the Highest Social Media Reach; and (6) NNC-Q Webby Award for the Most Visible Social Media Account.
All awards were solely adjudged on website and Facebook analytics and the regional office who registered the highest number of statistics for each of the award every quarter shall be declared the winner, 1st and 2nd runner up.
Read more: NNC 9 wins the NNC-Q Webby Award for the Highest Number of Articles Posted
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- Category: Region 9
Breast Cancer is strikingly the leading type of cancer worldwide. Anyone can suffer from this either young or old, rich or poor, with family history or not, women and even men, and that may include you. Breast cancer if early detected may be cured. Therefore, it is very important that everyone, most especially women, should be aware of the screening methods for breast cancer and to regularly practice them. Hence, every month of October is celebrated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month worldwide that aims to increase awareness and support for early detection, treatment and palliative care of the disease.
According to the 2015 Philippine Cancer Facts and Estimates, breast cancer is the most common cancer with 22,267 cases and ranked 3rd among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among Filipinos next to lung and liver cancer. Presently, there is no adequate information on the causes of breast cancer but early detection of the disease remains the foundation to control and prevent it. With available and adequate diagnosis and treatment, there is a high possibility that cancer will be cured. As part of the response to this public health concern, the Department of Health (DOH) established the Breast Cancer Medicines Access Program in 2011 in seven (7) access sites in the Philippines and in 2018, access to breast cancer medicines was expanded to another 7 health institutions including Zamboanga City Medical Center in the Zamboanga Peninsula.
