Two-day Cardiovascular Disease Conference opens in Davao City

CITY, Nov 28 (PIA) The two-day-Cardiovascular Disease Conference 2013 commences today at the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao City with the participation of the local government units, health authorities and civil society leaders.

Errole Linus Miranda, communication officer of the CVD Project said the conference provides a venue for exchanges of ideas and lessons learned in the development and practical implementation of non-communicable disease intervention as they are applied on the primary health care down to the barangays.

The conference runs until Nov. 29.

He said the first day of the event will discuss topics such as  the Role of the LGU in Primary Health Care Programs; The Multidisciplinary Approach: Roles of Primary Health Care Service Providers; Forging partnerships for CVD Prevention and Control; Policy Gap Analysis: Creating an Environment Conducive to CVD Prevention and Control; Monitoring PHC Programs: How the CVD Program Monitoring ensures availability and quality of services?; and Community-based diabetes management peer support program: Practical approach to diabetes prevention and control.

Miranda said the second day will be brief discussions on Encouraging Lifestyle Change: Policy Recommendations; Structured Patient Education in the Primary Care Setting; Engaging the Civil Society in NCD Prevention and Control; Allocating Resources for Starting and Sustaining a CVD Program; Prevention of Amputations: A vital part of a CVD Program and Successful Healthy Lifestyle Programs in the Philippines: Outstanding Healthy Lifestyle Advocacy Award 2009 and 2011.

He said the CVD Conference Davao 2013 draws heavily on the experiences of Davao City’s CVD Program and highlights the multi-stakeholder approach for the prevention and control of cardiovascular disease.

“The Davao City experience is an example of how governments and relevant stakeholders can tackle the growing problem of NCDs and how health programs can be implemented even with limited resources,” Miranda said.

He said the conference is open to policy makers, health service providers and leaders of civil society groups.  (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)