The FEU-NRMF Department of
Community and Family Medicine and Barangay Narra, San Jose Del Monte City,
Bulacan started a partnership in 2014 under the Community Outreach Program. It aims to provide learning venue for the
students’ Community Medicine rotation while at the same time assist the partner
community in health development.
The
Health Club Day of Barangay Narra is a monthly event implemented thru the
efforts of the community, the City Health Office and FEU-NRMF. Prior to its implementation residents of the
barangay, diagnosed with hypertension and/or diabetes, attend the club day
organized by the City Health Office together with residents of three other
barangays. Members found this event
tedious because of the high number of patients attending it. Many are dissatisfied thus would rather not
attend the program. With the opportunity
provided by additional health human resources from FEU-NRMF, the officers of
the health club decided to organize a health club solely for Barangay Narra.
The
Barangay Narra Health Club aims to achieve control of and prevention of
complications of diabetes and hypertension.
Every second Thursday of the
month, members of the club avail of free medical consultation, participate in
health education activities and receive free medications. The event is organized by the club officers,
with the meals, supplies and medicines provided by the barangay and city health
office and medical consultations done by FEU-NRMF junior medical interns. Capacity-building activities are also being
done with the club officers so that they can manage the program successfully.
For
the past eight months of the program, there was increasing attendance in the
club day, good follow-up of members and improvement in the control of
hypertension and diabetes among the members.
The
Barangay Narra and FEU-NRMF partnership highlights the importance of community
participation, government commitment and social accountability to achieve
health development.
Won 1st Place in
the Best Practices in Community-Academe Partnerships, Philippine Academic Society of Community
Medicine (PASCOM)
