From volunteers to vital forces: The untapped power of barangay health workers in curbing HIV in the Philippines
Journal Title: Annals of Tropical Research - Year 2024, Vol 46, Issue 2
Abstract
The Philippines is currently facing an alarming rise in HIV cases, becoming one of the global hotspots, despite international trends showing a decline. One of the critical challenges is the lack of accessible health services, particularly in rural areas, where HIV hubs are scarce and concentrated only in cities. The country also struggles with a shortage of healthcare workers, especially in community health. While Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) are available and are trained volunteers within local communities, they remain underutilized in the government's HIV response. Empowering and training BHWs could be key to bridging the health manpower gap, especially in underserved areas. By involving BHWs in grassroots-level health promotion, HIV awareness, and prevention strategies, the Philippines could significantly improve access to care and community resilience, especially in remote regions where traditional health workers are overwhelmed. This paper highlights the potential of BHWs to become pivotal in addressing the HIV crisis through adecentralized and community-based approach.
Authors and Affiliations
Janet Alexis A. De los Santos
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP755430
- DOI https://doi.org/10.32945/atr4628.2024
- Views 49
- Downloads 0
Insect vectors transmitting Phytoplasma to vegetables in Eastern Visayas Philippines
TPhytoplasma diseases are found affecting vegetables in Eastern Visayas, Philippines. Identifying the insect vectors that transmit phytoplasma in the field is necessary for the management of this disease. This study was...
Indications of enhanced soil ecosystem functions in polyculture reforested grassland
A lot of work has been doneto evaluate the effects of biodiversity on ecological functions in polyculture plantings. But attention is rarely given to soil ecosystem functions such as carbon (C) sequestration and nitrogen...
Oxytetracycline-resistant heterotrophic fecal bacteria from pigs of Kabalasan, Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines
The excessive use of oxytetracycline for the cost-efficient production of swine can increase the development of antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacteria. This study was conducted to isolate and identify putative c...
Characterization of charcoal produced from different Pyrolyzing techniques
Different pyrolyzing techniques are assumed to yield products with different content and adsorption rate. This study aimed to characterize five coconut charcoal samples from different pyrolyzing techniques such as Drum K...
Effects of interaction between cowpea variety and the application of plant powders on Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) infestation of stored cowpea seeds
An integrated pest management scheme involving seed resistance and the application of powder of Cymbopogon citratus, Alstonia boonei, Hyptis suaveolens, Azadirachta indica, Loranthus braunii and Lycopersicum esculentum a...