DOHCentral Visayas Holds Health Promotion Summit

Excerpts from the Ministry of Health video

On Thursday, July 13, 2023, the Central Visayas Ministry of Health (DOH 7) hosted the 2023 Health Promotion Summit which brought together health speakers and a number of visitors at Marco Polo Plaza in Cebu City.

Theme: “Health System Strengthening: Addressing Epidemic Efforts and Integrating Health Promotion to Ensure Comprehensive Health Care in Central Visayas”, the event was launched by the Health Development Center of the Ministry of Health, Central Visayas to strengthen the capacity of the country's health system.

The Comprehensive Health Act (RA 11223) provides that the Office of Health Promotion shall provide appropriate and strategic work to develop and implement healthy public policies, to reorient health systems toward priorities of health promotion and prevention, as well as health education.

The event hosted Jaime Bernados, Regional Director of the Ministry of Health for Central Health Development in the Visayas, a number of keynote speakers and visitors who spoke about important and emerging health issues in the community.

In his opening remarks, Bernados noted the unprecedented challenges that have tested the health system's resilience.

"We have recently faced unprecedented challenges that test the resilience of our system," he said.

He said the global COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need to take reform measures and ensure the provision of quality health services for all.

He also stressed the importance of building strong and sustainable healthcare systems that can quickly adapt to changing conditions and successfully meet the needs of the population.

Bernados believes that collaboration and partnership are key factors in achieving a high quality healthcare system.

He said, "Collaboration and partnership are key to achieving our goals. By building strong partnerships and expanding collaboration among various stakeholders, we can use our collective skills and resources to build a sustainable health system."

Bernados said the aim of the event is to ensure that "no one is left behind" in the pursuit of universal healthcare.

"We are confident that the discussions and deliberations of this meeting will greatly influence shaping the future of our healthcare system," he said. (Claudine Flores, CNU intern)

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