AS the country is trying to recover from this crucial pandemic while adjusting to the new normal, participants from the health-research sector gathered all their knowledge and expertise in a week-long celebration conducted by the Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) from Aug. 9 to 13, 2021.
The PNHRS has a lineup of online activities from the satellite sessions of each cluster in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao from Aug. 3 to 6, to pre-conference on Aug. 9 to 11 – leading to the main conference on Aug. 12 and 13.
This year, the PNHRS Week carries the theme “Health R and D in the New Normal: Moving Towards Universal Health Care,” which highlights the efforts and partnerships of the 17 regional consortia to address the country’s current challenges on health issues.
Participants from Western Visayas have received four awards with different and top entry places, including Best Research Concept Note Competition, 3-Minute Pitch to Policymakers Competition, Oral Research Paper Presentation Competition, and Visual Abstract Poster Competition.
In the Best Research Concept Note Competition, the top three entries from Region-6 are Preparing for the Future: Developing Targeted and Multi-Sectoral Strategies Using Performance Intelligence in Managing Pandemic in Western Visayas by Kezzie Lyn Hilado of the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV), Preparing for the Future: Protecting Maternal Health Care During Times of Public Health Emergencies by Prof. Leah Araneta and Kezzie Lyn Hilado of UPV, and Preparing High School Teachers in Handling Students Engaged or at Risk of Self-Injury during Mental Health by Prof. Ma. Pilar Malata of West Visayas State University.
Meanwhile, Dr. Andylou Mangubat bagged the People’s Choice Award for the 3-Minute Pitch to Policymakers Competition with his presentation entitled The Virtual Multidisciplinary Team Approach: Enhancing Healthcare Service Delivery and Quality of Care for Head and Neck Cancer Management During COVID-19 Pandemic.
For the Oral Research Paper Presentation Competition, Dr. Rommel Gestuveo of UPV finished second place for the professional category with his research paper Analysis of Zika Virus Capsid-Aedes aegypti mosquito interactome reveals pro-viral host factors critical for establishing infection.
The Western Visayas team also secured spots for both the student and professional category in the Visual Abstract Poster Competition. Fairy Pakingking, Janica Danielle Pendon, Pamela Joy Flores, and Thesa Ray Padernal from Colegio San Agustin in Bacolod won third place for student category with their research entitled Antibiotic Susceptibility Profile of Aeromonas hydrophila Isolates from Tilapia (Oreochromis hydrophila) Cultured in Brackishwater Earthen Ponds to commonly used antibiotics in aquaculture: implication in zoonosis. Moreover, Dr. Mikkaela Daquilanea-Chin ranked second in the professional category with her research Prevalence of Depression among Persons Living with HIV/Aids who Seek Consultation at the HIV/Aids Core Team Clinic of the Western Visayas Medical Center.
The PNHRS Week is a celebration held every second week of August in accordance with the Presidential Proclamation No. 1309 of June 2007.(DOST-6)
