Key personnel from the Department of Health Region 11, World Health Organization-Sub National Initiative (WHO-SNI) and Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) gathered for a two-day Joint Project Implementation Planning Workshop to respond to the goal of “walang nanay at sanggol ang mamamatay dahil sa panganganak” (no mother and infant shall die due to childbirth). This activity was held last May 20-21, 2015 in Davao City.
The said workshop was envisioned to achieve a “mutually satisfying institutional relationship and collaboration between WHO, KOICA and DOH 11, while reinforcing each toward a common purpose of empowering LGUs to become better stewards of health.”
This activity is the initial step for the “Accelerated Convergent Efforts on System Strengthening for Maternal and Newborn Health” (AcCESS for MNH) Project, which will be covering ten local government units in Davao Region, namely: Davao Oriental – Manay, Caraga; Davao del Norte – Tagum City, New Corella, Davao Occidental – Sta Maria, Malita, Don Marcelino; Compostela Valley - Maco, Mabini and Pantukan.
DOH 11 Regional Director Abdullah Dumama expressed his pleasure of being able to work together as a group for this joint planning since “we have the BMSC or Bright Minds with Strong Commitment.”
“All we have to do is implement it (plans),” he said. He added that “out of ten local government units (LGUs), about three municipalities have problems, but these are manageable though,” he added.
He also emphasized that planning outputs should be aligned to the DOH High Impact 5 strategies.
“By 2016, I see better health status in all of these municipalities,” Dr Dumama concluded.