Mobile clinic rolls out next month

MANILA, Philippines –  A customized mobile health clinic called “Lakbay Buhay Kalusugan” (LBK) will begin touring the country in February, providing communities with health services, education and entertainment.

Public and private groups forged a partnership last week to support LBK. The LBK is the Department of Health’s (DOH) communication campaign model of public-private partnerships for health promotion.

Supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the campaign will be implemented by the DOH’s National Center for Health Promotion (NCHP) throughout 2011.

Health is for everybody. It is everybody’s business and one’s health is one’s business,” said NCHP director Dr. Asuncion Anden. “Thus, it is the objective of our partners to make health care accessible and both a shared and personal responsibility.”

Ann Hirschey, chief of USAID’s Office of Health, affirmed the United States government’s commitment to ensuring universal health care as part of its Global Health Initiative. “We envision mothers, fathers and children awaiting the arrival of the LBK bus in their communities, eager to avail themselves of basic health services, counseling and information on maternal and child health, family planning and living a healthy lifestyle in an educational and entertaining environment,” she said.

The LBK bus, which was donated by Victory Liner through its Doña Martha T. Hernandez Foundation, will be used as an actual consultation clinic. It will travel in a caravan that will have stops in Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Bohol, Negros Occidental, Bukidnon, Compostela Valley, South Cotabato, Zamboanga del Norte and

Maguindanao.

At every stop there will be a health fiesta featuring interactive exhibits, mini-classes, and fun activities like storytelling sessions for children, videoke and games. Hirschey said LBK offers a unique opportunity for DOH to reach out to more Filipino families and communities and expressed hope that more partners will come on board as LBK embarks on its first trip next month to Capas, Tarlac.

Attending the LBK partnership meeting were representatives from Victory Liner, Air21, OMF Literature, Inc., Dakila-Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism, Manila Broadcasting Co., UNTV, and the Center for Community Journalism and Development.

Supporting the campaign are CDC Manufacturing Corp., Kwentista ng mga Tsikiting, Philippine Press Institute, and other media partners.