It Takes A Community (of Nations) To Raise A Healthy Child: Day 6 of the 7th GHC
Today's was theme was basically Child Health and when we talk about child health, we cannot help but talk also about immunization and prenatal care and postpartum care and under-five-clinic programs geared towards taking care of the health of children. Children after all belong to the risk groups. I liked today's discussions considering that we had more time to interact with other participants. During the first round of discussions, the class was divided into four groups and each group was given a role to play. One group pretended to be the Ministry of Health (Department of Health), the other the Local Government Unit, the other was the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the last group was the Doctors without borders. We were given a community-in-focus and the objective was to make recommendations on how to intervene in order to reduce child mortality. Our group was the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
It was a very lively discussion but I was frankly distracted by the events happening in the Philippines. I was watching the live streaming video courtesy of ANC Live. They were broadcasting the proclamation of Benigno Aquino and Jejomar Binay as President and Vice-President-elect respectively of the Philippines. It was a historic moment for the country.
I could only imagine the responsibility and high expectation waiting for these new leaders of the country.
However, I strongly feel that our leaders alone cannot fulfill such responsibilities and high expectations. The entire country has to do its share. Just like in managing child health programs and any other health programs.
It takes a community to raise a child and it is in this same principle that we should also ensure the health of the child. There have been many existing programs both handed down either by WHO or DOH or any other NGO. Despite the plentiful programs, the global trend is that there is seemingly no significant decline in the under-five mortality rate. There must be something wrong with what we are doing collectively. Or maybe there is something which we are NOT doing collectively.
Like I said during my report in behalf of the group, collaboration and networking is important. No single organization contains all resources that can address the problems of Child Health. It is important therefore for governments to collaborate with other agencies. Encouraging community participation and ownership of these programs will help sustain many of these programs.
It was a very lively discussion but I was frankly distracted by the events happening in the Philippines. I was watching the live streaming video courtesy of ANC Live. They were broadcasting the proclamation of Benigno Aquino and Jejomar Binay as President and Vice-President-elect respectively of the Philippines. It was a historic moment for the country.
I could only imagine the responsibility and high expectation waiting for these new leaders of the country.
However, I strongly feel that our leaders alone cannot fulfill such responsibilities and high expectations. The entire country has to do its share. Just like in managing child health programs and any other health programs.
It takes a community to raise a child and it is in this same principle that we should also ensure the health of the child. There have been many existing programs both handed down either by WHO or DOH or any other NGO. Despite the plentiful programs, the global trend is that there is seemingly no significant decline in the under-five mortality rate. There must be something wrong with what we are doing collectively. Or maybe there is something which we are NOT doing collectively.
Like I said during my report in behalf of the group, collaboration and networking is important. No single organization contains all resources that can address the problems of Child Health. It is important therefore for governments to collaborate with other agencies. Encouraging community participation and ownership of these programs will help sustain many of these programs.
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