DOH Annual Calendar (2012)

January 2012

Deworming of School Children (Grade 1-6)- Round 1

18-22 National Cancer Awareness Week
24-30 Goiter Awareness Week
29 – World Leprosy Day

February 2012
Heart Month
Oral Health Month
National Health Insurance Program Month

1-5 National Mental Retardation Week
4 – World Cancer Day
3rd week - Leprosy Prevention and Control Week
4th week - National Rare Disease Week

March 2012
Colon and Rectal Cancer Awareness Month
Rabies Awareness Month
Burn Injury Prevention Month
International Women’s Month

8 - International Women's Day
24 - World TB Day

April 2012

Cancer in Children Awareness Month

7 - World Health Day
22 - Philippine Earth's Day
25 - World Malaria Day
4th wk Head and Neck Consciousness Week

May 2012
Cervical Cancer Awareness Month
Road Safety Month

2 - World Asthma Day
10 - 14 Safe Motherhood Week
15 - AIDS Candlelight Memorial Day
19 - World Hypertension Day
31 - World No Tobacco Day

June 2012
Dengue Awareness Month
National Kidney Month
No Smoking Month
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

14 - World Blood Donor Day
14 - 18 Safe Kids Week
23 - DOH Anniversary
25 - National Patients Safety Day
4th week - National Poison Prevention Week

July 2012
Deworming of School Children (Grade 1-6) Round 2
National Blood Donors Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Schistosomiasis Awareness Month

8 - National Allergy Day
11 - World Population Day
12 - 17 National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week
25 - 29 National Diabetes Awareness Week

August 2012
Family Planning Month
Lung Cancer Awareness Month
National Lung Month
National Tuberculosis Awareness Month
Sight-Saving Month
National Breastfeeding Awareness Month

2 - 6 Mother-Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Week
6 - 12 National Hospital Week
11 - 17 Phil. National Research System Week
3rd wk - Brain Attack Awareness Week
16 - 20 Asthma Week
19 – National Tuberculosis day

September 2012
Blood Disease Month
Generics Awareness Month
Liver Cancer Awareness Month

1 - 7 National Epilepsy Awareness Week
7 - 11 Obesity Prevention and Awareness Week
26 - World Heart Day
28 - World Rabies Day

October 2012
National Children’s Month
Breast Cancer Awarenss Month

10 – World Sight Day
10 – World Mental Health Day
1 - 7 Elderly Filipino Week
4 - 8 National Mental Health Week
4 - 8 National Newborn Screening Week
11 - 15 Bone and Joint Awareness Week
11 - 15 Garantisadong Pambata Week
15 - Global Handwashing Day
18 - 22 Health Education Week
18 - 22 National Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Awareness Week
25 - 29 Food Safety Awareness Week
29 - World Psoriasis Day

November 2012
Cancer Pain Awareness Month
Filariasis Awareness Month
Traditional and Alternative Health Care Month
Malaria Awareness Month

1 - 5 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness Week
2nd Week National Skin Disease Detection and Prevention Week
8 - 12 Deaf Awareness Week
15 - 19 Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Week
19-25 Climate Change Consciousness Week
21-25 National Consciousness Week Against Counterfeit Medicine
22 - 26 Population and Development Week
7 National Food Fortification Day
14 World Diabetes Day
19 World Toilet Day
November 25-December 12 - 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW)

December 2012
Firecrakers Injury Prevention Month

1 - World AIDS Day
6 - National Health Emergency Preparedness Day
3 - 9 Ear, Nose and Throat Consciousness Week
10 - National Youth Health Day
2nd week - Linggo ng Kabataan

Source: DOH website

Leading Causes of Mortality in the Philippines (2006)

MORTALITY:  TEN (10) LEADING CAUSES
NUMBER AND RATE/100,000 POPULATION
Philippines
5-Year Average (2001-2005) & 2006
CAUSES			5-Year Average (2001-2005)		2006*
			Number	Rate	Number	Rate
1. Diseases of the Heart			69,741	85.5	83,081	95.5
2. Diseases of the Vascular System			52,106	64.0	55,466	63.8
3. Malignant Neoplasms			39,634	48.6	43,043	49.5
4. Accidents**			33,650	41.4	36,162	41.6
5. Pneumonia			33,764	41.5	34,958	40.2
6. Tuberculosis, all forms			27,017	33.2	25,860	29.7
7. Chronic lower respiratory diseases			19,024	23.3	21,216	24.4
8. Diabetes Mellitus			15,123	18.5	20,239	23.3
9.Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period			13,931	17.2	12,334	14.2
10. Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis			9,785	12.0	11,981	13.8
Note: Excludes ill-defined and unknown causes of mortality * reference year ** External causes of Mortality

Source: Department of Health

Voluntary Blood Donation

“More blood, more life.” This was the global theme for World Blood Day on June 14. This was also the theme adopted by the Department of Health when it observed the National Voluntary Blood Donation Month in July. A few heeded the call in blood letting activities, mostly from coming from the health sector and some from the police and the military. Others were already regular donors and for a few newbies they, shall we say, “forced volunteers.” The act of voluntarily donating blood has not exactly creeped in the consciousness of Filipinos. Many would only think of donating blood when a member of the family or a close friend is the one in need.

One thing good that happened during the surge of dengue cases in Luzon was the hype media created on the need of blood for dengue patients, mostly children. And for the first time, news on voluntary blood donation reached Healthbeat’s countdown of the Top 10 health news.

On August 15, Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Secretary General Gwendolyn Pang urged more people to donate blood as severe dengue cases need blood.

Data provided by PRC show that annual blood collection falls short of what is needed. The PRC has an average collection of 2,500 to 3,000 units of blood daily nationwide.

Pang explained that in 2010, PRC collected a total of 273,000 units of blood, representing 49.6 per cent of the total national collection of 550,000 units from all blood collecting agencies, including the DOH and the Philippine Blood Coordinating Council. But the total collection was still 440,000 units short of the national requirement for 950,000 units last year. The PRC urged the public to “be more resolute in promoting voluntary blood donation” with the rise in dengue cases in mind.

Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, program manager of the DOH Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, emphasized the need for donated blood by severe dengue patients. He said, “While only five per cent of dengue patients need blood, we still encourage blood donation.”

Quite a coincidence, Enchong Dee, matinee actor, swimmer and a regular blood donor, was scheduled to donate his precious blood in the DOH, the following day, August 16. This donation landed on the news and easily he became a DOH poster boy for the blood program.

Soon after, the Philippine Medical Association, ABS CBN, TV 5, among others held their own blood letting activities. The DOH hopes that this good deed would be sustained any day of the year, with or without dengue. 

Filipinos have to remind themselves that giving blood is giving the most precious gift to another person: the gift that will extend the life of the sick while at the same time, reinvigorate the giver. As Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona emphasized, “We do not lose blood when we give because as we donate blood, we refill our bodies with new and fresher blood.

Original article from Department of Health website