The webinar entitled “From Minds to Hearts: Strategies for Addressing Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases in the Now Normal” held last 17 February 2022 was a collaboration between the UP College of Public Health and the British Embassy Manila with key speakers and reactors from the World Health Organization, Health Promotion Bureau of the Department of Health, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, UP College of Medicine, and the UK Prosperity – Better Health Program in the Philippines.
February 17, 2022 — The country slowly eases up on the pandemic restrictions, thus ushering us into the now normal, the College of Public Health (CPH) and the British Embassy of Manila (BEM) jointly organized a five-part webinar series covering a number of pressing public health issues.
The first webinar was held on February 17, 2022 with the title, From Minds to Hearts: Strategies for Addressing Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases in the Now Normal. CPH Dean and Centre Director, Dr. Vicente Belizario, Jr. and the Country Head of Prosperity Programmes British Embassy Manila, Ms. Leonina Morillo, delivered their opening messages to welcome more than 250 participants from government agencies, health facilities, and educational institutions in the Philippines and the United Kingdom.
Focusing on the local context, the first speaker Ms. Chona Patalen, Senior Science Research Specialist from Food and Nutrition Research Institute highlighted data points from the Philippine National Nutrition Survey (1979-2019) that generated results related to food consumption patterns among Filipinos and the prevalence trends of risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Data showed that the country is on track in meeting goals related to lifestyle measures, but the current pandemic poses challenges in maintaining this progress. Patalen emphasized the need to strengthen our research capacities to further explore the efficacies of interventions and policies in place for lifestyle-related risk factors to the NCDs.
Meanwhile, drawing from global perspectives and the World Health Organization (WHO) experience, Dr. John Juliard Go National Professional Officer from World Health Organization -Philippines presented a number of health systems strategies operating in many countries that are designed for people managing chronic illnesses such as NCDs to continue accessing care. Health systems must adapt to changes brought by the pandemic and ensure mechanisms to mitigate the persisting disruptions to primary care services especially for people with NCDs who are at a higher risk for developing severe COVID-19 related illnesses and death.
Finally, Dr. Dominic Maddumba, Division Chief of Campaign Strategy and Management Division of the Department of Health (DOH) Health Promotion Bureau shared the Health Promotion Framework Strategy being followed by the DOH in combating a number of public health concerns including NCDs and their risk factors. He emphasized that effective prevention and control of NCDs should involve an interplay of clinical, behavioral, environmental, and policy interventions that ideally facilitate a healthier lifestyle and diet choices for individuals and communities.
Reactions were given by Dr. Nemencio Nicodemus Jr., Professor at UP College of Medicine and President of Philippine Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity, and Dr. Madeleine Valera, Non-Communicable Diseases Policy Lead, UK Prosperity – Better Health Programme in the Philippines. Dr. Nicodemus presented practical measures in ensuring healthy living given the lack of enabling environments such as infrastructures conducive for physical activity and socioeconomic capital among many Filipinos to afford a healthy lifestyle.
A more concerted effort to safeguard the people’s capacity to make healthy lifestyle choices is also vital and should not be undermined. Dr. Valera pointed out that risk management should be at the forefront of NCD prevention and control efforts and must adapt to various circumstances including the pandemic context and even beyond. Dr. Valera, in unison with the communication strategy presented by Dr. Maddumba, also emphasized the importance of proper and effective communication in risk management for NCDs.
This first webinar was moderated by Dr. Eleanor Castillo, Professor of the CPH Department of Health Promotion and Education, along with Dr. Ma. Socorro E. Ignacio, Professor and Assistant to the Dean for Academic Affairs, Department of Nutrition. The overall coordination was a joint effort of the two departments and the BEM-UP CPH Webinar Series Project Team led by Dr. Emerito Jose A. Faraon, Associate Professor and Communications Officer. This series will run until the end of March 2022 and will cover other health topics including climate change, vector-borne diseases, vaccine-preventable diseases, and mental health.
Jhaki Mendoza and Dr. Emer Faraon
