ILOILO – The Department of Health (DOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have ramped up efforts to strengthen primary healthcare services in rural Iloilo, focusing on preventing heart disease and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) through on-site assessments and community partnerships.
Health officials from DOH Region 6 and WHO toured the municipalities of San Joaquin and Tigbauan to monitor the implementation of the Healthy Hearts Program, an initiative aimed at reducing cardiovascular disease risk and improving access to essential health services in underserved areas.
The team inspected health facilities including the San Joaquin Rural Health Unit (RHU), Bucaya Barangay Health Station, Tigbauan RHU, and Namocon Barangay Health Station.
Dr. Aimee Marie Gayomali, head of the Integrated Non-communicable Disease Prevention and Control Program (INCDPCP), led the visit along with Dr. Sean Paulo Ohrelle Aquino from the DOH Central Office and WHO Philippines officials Tyrone Aquino and Dr. Eunyoung Ko, the organization’s deputy country representative.
The monitoring activity assessed how local health workers engage with patients, identified gaps in service delivery, and sought ways to improve care continuity.
WHO emphasized the importance of integrated strategies to combat not just heart disease but also diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory conditions.
“We aim to empower local health systems to deliver responsive and high-quality services for NCDs,” said Aquino, highlighting the DOH’s commitment to expanding access and strengthening frontline healthcare capabilities.
Also present during the visit were Iloilo Provincial Health Office (PHO) chief Dr. Maria Socorro Quiñon, San Joaquin mayor Ninfa Garin, Tigbauan Municipal Administrator Suzette Alquisada, and local health officers Dr. Abraham Elgario and Dr. Josefa Monserate.
The Healthy Hearts Program is part of WHO’s broader advocacy for universal health care and preventive interventions to curb rising NCD-related mortality, especially in low-resource settings./PN
