DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/1 March) – The City Health Office here bagged on Wednesday the Outstanding Healthy Lifestyle Advocacy Award given by the Department of Health (DOH) for continuously implementing programs that helped prevent the spread of non-communicable diseases (NCD) in the country.
The award, a joint project of the DOH with the Philippine Coalition for the Prevention and Control of NCD, was given to Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio in Metro Manila.
The award came with P100,000 in cash prize and a plaque of recognition.
The Davao CHO, which won in the government office category, was among the five awardees. Other awardees are the municipalities of Varuela in Agusan del Sur and Carmona in Cavite (local government unit category), Episcopal Diocese of Northern Philippines- Bontoc in Mountain Provinces (non-government organizations/institutions category), and Novartis HealthCare Philippines (business / commercial category).
The award is given by the DOH every two years. It looks into local government units, government offices, non-government organizations and commercial establishments on the promotion of healthy lifestyle.
City Health Officer Josephine Villafuerte said in a text message that the award is based on various criteria made by the health department. The Davao CHO is the lone office that bagged the award under the government office category.
“The DOH looked into the sustainability and impact of the programs and activities of the city,” she said.
The Davao CHO implemented programs on anti-smoking, nutrition and mental health programs and promotion of healthy lifestyle like encouraging exercise, healthy diet and tobacco cessation among Davaoeños.
Last year, the city also allocated P12 million for the full implementation of the NCD risk factor management program also known as cardiovascular disease program in all the barangays in the city.
The program includes medical consultations, regular monitoring, nutrition and diet counseling, foot care and laboratory testing. It aims at preventing the spread of cardiovascular diseases in the city. (MindaNews)
