Many exciting things continue to happen in our university! They are not only exciting but mark the beginning or extension of beneficial endeavors towards the fulfillment of our mandate.
UP Manila’s Newborn Screening Reference Center and the Newborn Screening Society of the Philippines, Inc. held their 19th National Newborn Screening Convention last October 5. This was attended by 7,300 health professionals and program partners. Keynote speaker DOH Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire traced how this undertaking prospered tremendously to what it is today.
We are proud for having pioneered the formation of the Committee on Research Integrity. This committee, which will eventually become an office, crafted the UP Manila Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. This code was approved by the UP Board of Regents to be adopted by the whole University of the Philippines System. The Committee has also been very busy conducting webinars on critical research topics such plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, and authorship.
Another strategic topic on COVID control was discussed in the Stop COVID Deaths Webinar #72, that of vaccinating children 12-17 years old. Experts from our community and from the Philippine Pediatric Society weighed in on priority issues regarding immunization in this age group in preparation for the nationwide drive.
Still on the hot topic of COVID vaccines, the College of Public Health is addressing the important issue of vaccine hesitancy in collaboration with the Vaccine Solidarity Movement, an alliance of health-oriented professional and civic organizations; through its continuing webinars, one of which was “End the COVID-19 Pandemic through Vaccination Now” held last August 23.
A tangible execution of our calling as a university is the College of Nursing’s ongoing Leadership Course for Advanced Practice in Public Health Nursing that it conducts in partnership with Johnson and Johnson Global Community Impact. Their first batch of 50 nurses graduated last October 25.
We also celebrated two delightful recognition ceremonies—that of the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Allied Medical Professions. All were beaming with pride and joy on seeing these brave and resilent graduates become our beloved alumni. We wish them well!
Although COVID is still with us, we are thankful to God Almighty for blessing our community with the mind and might to continue being fully alive; decisive in the fulfillment of our mandate and even reaching up for higher goals, all towards a healthy vibrant nation!
Published in UP Manila Healthscape Issue No. 32, 31 October 2021
