Badjaos trained to fight diseases

The Badjao health workers attended a training-workshop on how to fight the spread of infectious and other tropical diseases in their community in barangay Alaska Mambaling, Cebu City.

Lack of knowledge on proper hygiene and inadequate access to health care are linked to the development and spread of diseases in the Badjao community.

It is BIAD-P’s aim to bring basic health services to the Bajaus through networking and partnering with institutions and organizations.

The two-day training tackled roles and responsibilities of health workers and their importance in community development, concept of primary health care, environmental sanitation and proper hygiene, blood pressure taking, respiratory rate taking, physical assessment and history taking.

It was conducted by the Badjao Integrated Area Development Project (BIAD-P) of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), together with the Committee of German Doctors for Developing Countries, last May 12-13.

“RAFI envisions  a community that is healthy and free from disease. Health promotion through education is an essential component of the BIAD-P’s intervention. Once growing children and adults know that taking care of their  health is important, they will have a different outlook on health information and proper health practice,” Rowena Bandola-Alensonorin, executive director of RAFI Integrated Development, said.

During  the last day of the workshop, the participants visited the City Health Office and other health agencies for familiarization and rapport building.

“We are so much grateful to have RAFI and the Presentation Sisters for helping the Bajau community in our regular health clinic. Since we are partners, it is also our commitment to provide comprehensive and thorough health education to the Bajau community,” Rina Jacalan, project coordinator of Committee of German Doctors for Developing Countries, said.

BIAD-P was established by RAFI and Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, together with the Cebu City Government and the University of San Carlos-College of Architecture and Fine Arts in January 2011.

For inquiries on BIAD-P, call Anton Fuentes at 418-7234 local 515 or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph