Local community engagement is vital in delivering high-quality, people-centered healthcare to establish resilient and inclusive systems for development. Engaging the community helps to develop initiatives and solutions relevant to the unique characteristics, resources, and constraints of each slum. Communities are best at identifying their own diverse and evolving needs. In order to map, prioritize, and solve needs in the context of each slum, communities’ voices and support are important. This will lead to establishing trust with communities that can help solutions be scaled and sustained.
From the two target cities of this project (Valenzuela and Parañaque), 98 individuals attended the consultations/workshops to strengthen and capacitate the establishment of model Barangay Health Centers fit for the new normal and to promote multisectoral actions in addressing social determinants of health of urban poor populations. A total of 48 focus group discussions were conducted. Community and school outreach activities were conducted and collateral materials were distributed including 18 mobile sound systems, 645 water jugs, 12 gallons of alcohol, and 100,000 facemasks.