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URC/CHS Projects
Communications & Outreach
HealthPro Project, Philippines
Client: United States Agency for International Development
Despite gains in recent years, the Philippines continues to face significant healthcare challenges. Its fertility rate is the third highest in Southeast Asia, and a significant proportion of deliveries are not assisted by trained health professionals. Little progress has been made in reducing malnutrition in children under five, and immunization rates have been declining. Tuberculosis is the sixth most common cause of death in the country. While the prevalence of HIV infection remains low (below 1%), incidence among certain high risk groups is increasing, pointing to the need for information, education, and communication in HIV-AIDS prevention. Because the Philippines has already invested heavily in basic health infrastructure, strengthening health promotion and communication can have an impact on reducing and preventing many of these health problems.
In July 2007, under the Technical Assistance Support Contract (TASC3) Global Health Indefinite Quantity Contract, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded URC a five-year contract to support the Philippines Department of Health (DOH) to broaden the reach and improve the quality of health communications. Project goals include effecting behavior change among caregivers and individuals to prevent disease, reduce risks of morbidity and mortality, and increase early treatment of child and infectious diseases. The project also seeks to increase the capacity of local institutions to carry out effective health promotion activities and to improve coordination of health promotion among USAID and other projects with government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
URC Services
Under the HealthPro Project, the URC team is working to increase the impact of behavioral change communication interventions and develop local institutional capacity to carry out health promotion efforts in the areas of maternal, newborn, and child health; family planning; tuberculosis and DOTS; and HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, such as Avian Influenza. Specific activities include:
- Work with DOH and Local Government Units (LGUs) to review lessons learned and best practices from previous health promotion projects and expand and improve on them
- Improve planning, budgeting, and monitoring of health promotion programs and strategies
- Provide technical assistance to local institutions to conduct high quality, cost-effective health promotion interventions using multiple approaches in interpersonal communications supplemented with media and other promotional materials and tools
- Strengthen and improve the quality and impact of health promotion activities of selected local organizations
- Mobilize existing community organizations, volunteers and NGOs to support the health promotion work of LGUs and health care staff
- Increase the reach and impact of behavior change communication interventions and develop institutional capacity to sustain those efforts
- Assist other USAID partners to strengthen their health communications programs
Geographic Focus
Manila is the principal location of performance for this task order is Manila. The project is expected to cover the cities and municipalities of the 23 priority provinces identified under the HealthGov Project and all the
provinces of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Priority provinces, outside of ARMM, include:
Agusan del Norte
Aklan
Albay
Bohol
Bukidnon
Bulacan
Cagayan
Capiz
Compostela Valley
Davao del Sur
Isabela
Misamis Occidental
Misamis Oriental
Negros Occidental
Negros Oriental
Nueva Ecija
Pangasinan
Saranggani
South Cotabato
Tarlac
Zamboanaga del Norte
Zamboanga del Sur
Zamboanga Sibuga
Partners
Key collaborating organizations include:
- ACDI VOCA
- Ateneo School of Government
- ENCOMPASS, LLC
- Gerry Roxas Foundation
- Health Strategies International
- National Broadcasters Association of the Philippines
- National Confederation of Cooperatives
- National Press Club
- Nutrition Center of the Philippines
- Philippine Tuberculosis Society, Inc.
- Philippine Center for Population and Development, Inc.
- Probe Productions, Inc.
- SMART Communication
- Trade Union Congress of the Philippines
- Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines
- University of the Philippines Open University
- Well Advertising & Marketing Agency, Inc.
For more information, please contact:
702 & 703 Liberty Center
104 H.V. de la Costa St.
Makati City, Philippines
(632) 884-80-50/51
Nap Juanillo
Chief of Party
Bethesda Office
Olivera Stojanovic
University Research Co., LLC
7200 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 600
Bethesda, MD 20814
ostojanovic@urc-chs.com
(301) 941-8527
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