Edge Davao yearender: City Health Office gets 4 nat’l awards in 2012

by EJ Dominic C. Fernandez
2012 was a great year for the Davao City Health Office as evidenced by the four national awards and several other citations it received for new infrastructures established and the good practices of the office.
Dr. Josephine J. Villafuerte, city health officer, said the City Health Office (CHO) received the awards from the Department of Health (DOH) National Level.
Then CHO got the Award for the Most Outstanding Healthy Lifestyle Advocate, and Government Office Category.
According to Dr. Villafuerte, this is due to the “excercise activities for elderly in malls and offices, and also because of the diabetic and cardio vascular programs implemented by the CHO.”
CHO also received the Red Orchid Award (Hall of Fame) for the Anti-Smoking campaign of the city. It also received the Orally Fit Community Award and the Orally Fit Daycare Center Award for being the first city which implemented the ordinance for integrating proper tooth-brushing in daycare centers which are now adopted by different schools.
Being the only city in the Philippines that has breastfeeding rooms in overland transport terminals, CHO also received the Plaque of Recognition for Breastfeeding.
The good practices of the CHO for 2012 are the Salt Iodization Program of Davao City which is presented to UNICEF Regional Area, the public partnership of the office for healthy lifestyle, and the non-scalpel vasectomy program.
The construction of new health centers also contributed to the recorded achievements of CHO. Some of the new infrastructures built are the Bunawan Health Center, Agdao Health Center, Puan Birthing Facility Center, Paquibato District Hospital, and Tomas Claudio Hospital.
Villafuerte thanked the different establishments, private corporations, and NGOs based in the city as they helped the CHO achieve these awards.
She said the media also played a key role in helping extend public awareness needed to keep the people of the city healthy.