Health
“To keep the body in
good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our minds strong
and clear.”
-Anonymous
-Anonymous
Our Health is perhaps the most
important gift that has been given to us next to the breath of life and we
often take it for granted that we will live a long happy and prosperous life,
but good health does not come easy it must be maintained. Health is like the
main muscle in our bodies. It must be kept strong for it supports everything we
are capable of doing. Without health we would be weak and incapable of living
our lives.
Our health is important because it gives us
the ability to be independent and to do daily the little things that makes us
feel special. Health is one of our main sources of surviving the deadly
terrains this life has to offer us.
Having a great body should be complimented with an equally great
mind. Which means in order to live healthy, we must think healthy as well. We
should take care of ourselves and be able to know what’s good and what’s bad
for our bodies. We must be fully aware of the safe paths as well as the risks.
We also must know the available services that can help us take care of our
health.
Primary Health Care
The
government has the responsibility of promoting and protecting the health of
every Filipino. The Philippines is one of the fast developing countries which
has a quick growing population. In order to meet the needs of the people, the
DOH has launched the Primary Health Care Program (PHC). The PHC is a
partnership among the residents, the barangay, and private sectors or nongovernment
organizations, like the Rotary Club, Daughters of Mary Immaculate, and others.
Elements of Primary Health Care
The elements of primary health care include the following:
·
Education on the existing health problems and
the methods of preventing and controlling them
·
Promotion of adequate food supply and proper
nutrition
·
Basic sanitation and an adequate supply of safe
water
·
Maternal and child care against infectious
diseases
·
Appropriate treatment of common diseases and
injuries, and provision and proper use pf essential drugs and herbal medicines
·
Immunization against infectious diseases
·
Prevention and control of communicable diseases
Primary health care focuses on the
importance of community participation in identifying health and health-related
problems and seeking their solutions to improve the socioeconomic development
of the community. The emphasis is on the significant role the community plays
in the development of the individual.
Now that we know more about the
services that the Philippines provide, let’s take a look at one of the highly
known and respected doctors it has.
Dr. Reynaldo M. Caluag, MD
Dr. Caluag is a doctor that specializes in family medicine.
Family medicine (FM),
formerly family practice (FP), is a medical specialty devoted to
comprehensive health care for people of all ages; the specialist is named a family
physician, family doctor, or formerly family practitioner.
In Europe the discipline is often referred to
as general practice and a practitioner as a General Practice Doctor or GP;
this name emphasizes the holistic nature of this specialty, as well as its
roots in the family. It is a division of primary care that provides continuing
and comprehensive health care for the individual and family across all ages,
genders, diseases, and parts of the body. It is based on knowledge of the
patient in the context of the family and the community, emphasizing disease
prevention and health promotion.
According to the World Organization of Family
Doctors (Wonca), the aim of family medicine is to provide personal, comprehensive
and continuing care for the individual in the context of the family and the
community. The issues of values underlying this practice are usually known as primary
care ethics.
Dr. Caluag says, “The type of
specialty dictates the type of your practice. My training is Family Medicine
with Obstetric, so I take care of patients the moment they are born till the
time they are very old. I provide their primary health care need and provide
them with tool and education to maintain their health.”
Dr. Caluag shows us that health is
something that we will always carry all throughout our lives.
Conclusion
Health is important because:
- It helps in the attainment of personal ambition
- It favors personal efficiency
- It contributes to an individual's lifespan
- It keeps us living the life we are meant to live
- It teaches us how to take care of ourselves as well as others
