GUIMARAS – The Province of Guimaras has been selected as one of the pilot areas for the World Health Organization’s (WHO) newly launched Primary Care Diabetes Technical Package, an expanded initiative under the Healthy Hearts Programme aimed at strengthening the prevention, screening, and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at the primary health care level.
The program was formally introduced during the commemoration of World Diabetes Day at the WHO Regional Office in Manila on November 14, 2025. The event gathered key officials from the WHO, the Department of Health (DOH), and the local government sector.
WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Dr. Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Acting Country Representative Dr. Eunyoung Ko, and DOH Disease Prevention and Control Bureau Director IV Dr. Anna Marie Celina Garfin led the ceremony, together with other representatives from WHO, DOH, and DOH Western Visayas CHD VI.
Gov. Ma. Lucille L. Nava, MD, represented Guimaras and expressed the province’s gratitude for being chosen as a pilot site. She emphasized Guimaras’ achievements in curbing NCDs and committed to further strengthening local health initiatives.
“The greatest honor we receive today is the trust placed in our province as one of the pilot sites for the Healthy Hearts Plus Program. I reaffirm the commitment of the Province of Guimaras to fully implement this initiative and help turn the tide against non-communicable diseases,” Governor Nava said.
She added that Guimaras, despite being a small island province, aims to demonstrate that it can serve as a model for a strong and effective health system under the Universal Health Care (UHC) framework.
The newly launched diabetes package broadens the scope of the Healthy Hearts Programme, which initially focused on hypertension control. The enhanced program now covers diabetes prevention, screening, and management to ensure more comprehensive NCD care through primary health facilities.
Gov. Nava was joined by Provincial Health Office Nutritionist-Dietitian II Lovely Bargola during the activity.
Guimaras’ inclusion as a pilot site reaffirms its commitment to delivering equitable and people-centered health services, while strengthening local efforts to combat NCDs and improve overall community health outcomes./PN
