Health Promotion and Communication Program (HealthPro)

Country

Philippines

Region

South East and East Asia

Programme Summary

In July 2007, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded the University Research Co., LLC (URC) a 5-year contract to support the Philippines Department of Health (DOH) in its efforts to broaden the reach and improve the quality of health communications. As part of the HealthPro Project, the URC team is working to increase the impact of behavioural change communication (BCC) interventions and develop local institutional capacity to carry out health promotion efforts in the areas of maternal, newborn, and child health; family planning; tuberculosis and Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course (DOTS); and HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, such as avian influenza.

Communication Strategies

This project draws on the communication strategy of BCC in order to build skills among individuals and caregivers in the Philippines to reduce risks of morbidity and mortality, and increase early treatment of child and infectious disease.

Capacity building is the key approach being used here in an effort to equip local institutions, and other USAID partners, with the skills to conduct high-quality, cost-effective health promotion interventions using multiple approaches in interpersonal communications, supplemented with media and other promotional materials and tools. In addition, organisers are working to mobilise existing community organisations, volunteers and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to support the health promotion work of local government units (LGUs) and health care staff.

HealthPro is characterised by a strong focus on evaluation. Organisers are collaborating with DOH and LGUs to review lessons learned and best practices from previous health promotion projects in order to expand and improve on them. Efforts will involve strengthening the planning, budgeting, and monitoring of health promotion programmes and strategies in order to increase their reach and impact.

Development Issues

Health.

Partners

URC's primary partner is the Path Foundation of Philippines. Key collaborating organisations include gricultural Cooperative Development International and Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance (ACDI/VOCA); the Ateneo School of Government; ENCOMPASS, LLC; Gerry Roxas Foundation; Health Strategies International; National Broadcasters Association of the Philippines; National Confederation of Cooperatives; National Press Club; Nutrition Center of the Philippines; Philippine Tuberculosis Society, Inc.; Philippine Center for Population and Development, Inc.; Probe Productions, Inc.; SMART Communication; Trade Union Congress of the Philippines; Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines; University of the Philippines Open University; and Well Advertising & Marketing Agency, Inc.