15 Dec PHILIPPINES: Advocates convene experts and leaders for a unified platform
Article posted on December 15, 2016.
Annual conference draws much needed attention to pneumonia and new handbook among health workers, government, students, and others
This story is part of the 2016 round-up of World Pneumonia Day. Events and campaigns were held in many countries around the world to remind policymakers that pneumonia is still a silent killer taking the lives of many young children. Child health advocates and members of the Global Coalition Against Child Pneumonia organized various advocacy strategies to shine light on the need to continue the fight to bring an end to this disease.
Hataw Group Dance led by Dr. Enrique A. Tayag at the Bicol University.
As part of the 17th Philippine National Immunization Conference held in Legazpi City, Albay, the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination (PFV) and local partners celebrated World Pneumonia Day early on November 4, 2016. PFV, a NGO focused on advocating for and promoting vaccines for the prevention of various diseases, held the celebration to educate public health professionals and inspire them to take action.
Bicol University welcomed more than 200 attendees from different sectors, including health care workers, local government employees, and students and staff from the University.
The celebration started with the Hataw Group Dance. The ever-dynamic Assistant Secretary of the Department of Health, Dr. Enrique A. Tayag, led the dance that energized the participants. Everyone wore t-shirts that read “Laban Nyo, Mo, Nya,” which translates to “Everyone’s Fight.”
The dance was followed by enriching speeches from vaccine advocates and local government leaders. The welcome message came from the City Mayor of Legaspi, Hon. Noel E. Rosal, represented by the City Administrator, Mr. Carlos Ante.
Pneumonia in Children book signing with Dr. Kim Mulholland.
Dr. Lulu C. Bravo, from PFV, shared the background on World Pneumonia Day and introduced global health expert Dr. Kim Mulholland for a mini-lecture. Dr. Mulholland also held a book launch and signing for, Pneumonia in Children: Epidemiology, Prevention and Treatment.
Signed books were gifted to three leaders to serve as a reminder of their duty to children who suffer from pneumonia: Dean of the College of Medicine at Bicol University, the Secretary of Health, and Overall Chair of the Organizing Committee for the 17th PNIC.
