Passion for health seen to sustain gains

The hard part of making improvements in their community’s health situation has been accomplished. Now, the more difficult task of sustaining the gains is at hand.

During the last of the four-module Health Leaders for the Poor (HLP) program of the Zuellig Family Foundation for its 13 partner-municipalities, the mayors presented the different improvements in their respective towns. However, they all acknowledged that it was just the beginning.

San Fernando, Romblon Mayor Fernando Rios said that, “what we have done is small compared to the larger picture,” but with the ZFF’s help, at least, “we are now headed for the right direction.”

Mayor Ibarra Manzala of Magdiwang, Romblon shared what he felt was a very important learning he got from his municipality’s partnership with the ZFF. “I now have the passion for health. And I need to share this passion with the rest of my people.”

The Foundation knows sustainability matters the most. Thus, for the fourth module, the participants were reintroduced to the concept of “health as a right” and provided options to increase community participation in the planning and implementation of health programs. Creating partnerships through functional and strengthened inter-local health zones was also emphasized during the four-day training.

With reports from Bien Nillos, M.D.