PHO South Cotabato completes its IPCC Roll-out for HSPs and BHWs
Mahintana Foundation, Inc. was tapped by the University Research Co., LLC (URC) as their Local Replicating Agency (LRA) for South Cotabato and Sarangani provinces to implement the USAID-funded HealthPRO- Behavior Change 
Communication Project piloting four (4) municipalities of Sarangani and six (6) municipalities of South Cotabato.
As part of enhancing the Inter-Personal Communication and Counseling (IPCC) skills of the frontline Health Service Providers (HSPs) and Barangay Health Workers (BHWs, the IPCC Training Team of South Cotabato has completed the conduct of its HealthPRO-funded IPCC Skills Training for Health Service Providers (HSPs) and) for the priority LGUs of Polomolok, Tampakan, Tantangan, Lake Sebu, Tboli and Koronadal City in the following schedules: January 12-14, 2010 IPC/C Skills Training for HSPS; and for BHWs and CHVs on January 18-19, 2010 for Tampakan & Polomolok; January 20-21, 2010 for Koronadal & Tantangan and January 25-26, 2010 for T’boli & Lake Sebu municipalities.
This training course presents IPC/C as a core strategy for facilitating behavior change among client
s leading to the attainment of desired program outcomes. It is also worth noting that South Cotabato is the first from among all HealthPRO sites nationwide, to complete this task. With this, a total of 29 HSPs and 129 BHWs/CHVs from six (6) identified municipalities/ city were trained and we are currently lobbying to other local stakeholders to leverage funds to support succeeding IPC/C roll-outs for the remaining municipalities of South Cotabato. Ms. Lorna Lagos, the PHO Family Planning Prov’l. Coordinator presented the Provincial Health Situation including the municipal data contributory to South Cotabato’s current health situation. She also handled the Applied IPCC in Family Planning.
The training for HSPs lasted for three (3) days while the IPC Skills Training for BHWs lasted for two (2) days. The said training includes modules on Inter-Personal Communication; Behavior Change; One-to-One Communication and Group 
Communication. It also includes topics on Applied IPCC on Maternal Neonatal Child Health and Nutrition, (MNCHN), Tuberculosis and Family Planning. To ensure higher level of skills enhancement among participants, a number of role paying sessions, triads, return demonstration and Structured Learning Exercises (SLEs) were undertaken. In effect, the training participants expressed their gratitude for the opportunity given to them to joining the IPCC Skills Training.
Other members of the IPCC Training Team who served during these workshops are: Ms. Norma Llego, HEPO II; Ms. Heidi Florentin, Public Health Nurse III (TB Program Coordinator); Ms. Cecille Lorenzo, Nutrition Dietician II; Ms. Francy Aguilar, Nutrition Dietician II; Ms. Lodgeria Larong, Midwife I; Ms. Dinah Poral, DOH Rep; Ms. Mary Luzviminda T. Herezo, MFI (Project Coordinator); Mr. Allen S. Terencio, MFI (Project Officer); Ms. Bernadette T. Undangan, MFI (Project Officer); Mr. Nicolas Ledesma, Secretariat (MFI Project Officer).
Dayluz R. Tagle-Herezo
Contributor
