MANILA, Philippines - In the third quarter of 2011, IRH Philippines (IRHPHI), an NGO that focuses on health education, together with global healthcare leader MSD and a network of other groups, launched a three-year health education campaign for urban youth, starting with four public schools and one university in the city of Muntinlupa. The goal of the program is to raise the youth’s consciousness not just on basic health and hygiene, but also on what is dubbed as “gateway risk behaviors,” which could slowly but surely wreak havoc into youngsters’ lives.
Just a few months after the launch, program partners have already established the Muntinlupa Youth Health Development Network (MYHDN), composed of local government leaders, educational administrators, parents, teachers, and student leaders committed to disseminate the health information they received and implement the actions necessary to create positive changes in the health behaviors of the youth in their community.
A baseline survey was conducted on the knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of public school students on health and other related issues. The survey revealed that in addition to the well-known risks of smoking, drinking and drug use, these vices are also gateway behaviors that lead to malnutrition, dropping out of school, depression, suicide, pregnancy and contraction of sexually transmitted diseases.
Program partner Mitos Rivera, executive director of the IRHPHI, explained, “To support their vices, these children stop eating so that they could save their allowance. In school, they get headaches and stomachaches, so they are sent to the clinic and are given medicines when what they really need is food.”
Rivera reported that some of these youth would enter into romantic relationships with people who can support their vice; while others find themselves giving sexual favors for a bowl of lugaw (rice porridge), resulting in STDs, unwanted pregnancy, and depression. A few have reportedly become suicidal.
To communicate these findings and equip the youth with skills to protect themselves, three-day trainings are being conducted on Adolescent Health and Lifestyle, Negotiation, Communication, and Decision-Making. Despite limited space, student governments have set up bulletin boards to keep the school community updated on key health messages for the youth, training schedules and program progress.
An on-the-spot group poster-making contest, managed by teachers who have trained under the Muntinlupa Youth Health Development Program (MYHDP), has also been held with the theme “Kalusugan ng Kabataan, Lakas ng Bayan (Health of the Youth, Strength of the Nation).” More than 400 high school students from the Muntinlupa National High School, the Muntinlupa Science High School, the Pedro E. Diaz High School, and the Muntinlupa Business High School enthusiastically participated in this contest. Certificates and prizes were given by MSD.
In support of MYHDP, Mayor Aldrin San Pedro has agreed to be the honorary chairman of the group. Vice Mayor Artemio Simundac provides free transportation, free use of the Muntinlupa People Center, and manpower support for the program training sessions; he has also attended the project launch ceremony, orientation activities, and the youth fora. The City Health Office has also joined the drive by administering the MSD-donated vaccines to the teachers of the participating schools.
With so much support from the government and community, IRH, MSD and other partners are looking forward to conducting more activities for the health literacy of our youth. It is the group’s hope that in the future, our youth will be more aware, more informed, and more capable of preserving their own health, for truly, the physical, mental, and emotional health of its youth is the strength of a nation. For more information on MSD and its programs, visit www.msd.com or www.msd.com.ph.