Assessing the Needs of Barangay Health Workers in Barangay Calateo, Juban, Sorsogon in Delivering Basic Health Service

Assessing the Needs of Barangay Health

Workers (BHWs) of Barangay Calateo, Juban, Sorsogon City

In Delivering Basic Health Services

An Operations Research Study Presented to

The Faculty of the College of Business Education

THE LEWIS COLLEGE

Sorsogon City

In partial fulfillment

Of the requirement for the degree

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

Major in Operations Management

By:

Reil Majello

Norilen Garrote

Gladys Enaje

Dave Lamsan

Walter John Abla

CHAPTER 1

The Problem and the Setting

Introduction

        Over the past several years, the country encouraged and promoted basic health services in the communities because of over-population. The Philippine Government wanted to reduce mortality, early pregnancy, and efficient health workers are badly needed. The Government tried to resolve this kind of difficulty by training and recruiting individuals in the form of volunteerism who will promote and deliver the basic health services in the community. They are known nationally as the Community Health Workers (CHWs).

        According to Global Health Workforce Annual Report 2014^[1] Community Health Workers (CHWs are well establsihed as major factors in promoting healthy behavior, and extending the reach of healthy system, in low and middle income countries (LIMCs). CHWs are well positioned to deliver, promote, prevent and help to provide basic health services to the communities while working in partnership with other frontline health workers.

        According to Washington State Department of Health (2015)^[2], CHWs are trusted members of the community who put a unique understanding of the experiences, language and culture of the people they serve to carry out one or more of the following (1) provide culturally appropriate health education, information, and outreach in community settings; (2) bridge the gap between communities and human services by increasing people health knowledge and ability to be self-reliant; (3) make sure people access the services they need; (4) provide direct services, such as informal counselling, social support, care coordination, health services enrolment, and health insurance navigation skills; and (5) ensure preventive health screening for cancer.

In the Philippines, Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) are said to be the health care promoter who encouraged the community to be aware about their health issues. These volunteer workers had  undergone training from Health Organizations accredited by the Department of Health (DOH) and approved by the Government that will improve their personal and professional developmetn to prepare them for the task that will assigned to them in providing basic health service. BHWs are very essential because they provide assistance and support to the Department of Health regarding their programmes in delivering health services to the community. BHWs are considered as the keeper of the community health. Dagangnon etal, February 2016^[3]