ORIENTATON ON BARANGAY HEALTH

WORKERS PROGRAM

Seige Fred R. Coronia, RN

OBJECTIVE of this Training

• It aims to enhance local capacity to assist

in Public Health service delivery various
health programs by the Department of
Health through the establishment of the
Sustainable Development Goals (formerly
MDG). The first level service delivery
occurs at the barangay hence the role of
“trained BHW” is also essential for the
success of Health programs.
Barangay Health Workers in Milestones
Evolution of Barangay Health Workers in the
Philippines
GOVERNMENT HEALTHCARE
INSTITUTIONS WERE CONTROL BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

DECENTRALIZATION AND DEVOLUTION OF

POWERS ON HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT TO
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGC 1991)

FORMATION OF HEALTHCARE TEAM

AND BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS

BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS PLAY

IMPORTANCE IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(PASSED THE RA 7883 OF 1995)
You all have different reasons for being
here as Barangay Health Workers, but
the most important ones are:

1. We know there are health problems in

our community.
2. We are committed to helping find
solutions to these problems.
WHAT IS A BARANGAY HEALTH
WORKER?????
What is a Barangay Health Worker?

• A person who has undergone training

programs under any accredited
government and non government
organization and who voluntarily renders
primary health care services in the
community after having been accredited to
function as such by the local health board
in accordance with the guidelines
promulgated by the DOH.
What is a Barangay Health Worker?
• Is a category of health care service providers in the
Philippines. They undergo a basic training program
under any accredited government and non-government
organization, and render quality primary health care
services in the barangay in areas across the lifespan of
individuals.
• They are accredited to function as such by the local
government with the guidelines promulgated by the
Department of Health, as defined in Sec 3 of Republic
Act no. 7883.
• They live in the community they serve, and act as
change agents in their communities. They provide
information, education, and motivation services for
primary health care, maternal and child health, child
rights, family planning and nutrition.
Standard Ratio for BHW
Population (2018) 387, 864

1% 3, 879

HH 64, 644

Standard Ratio of
1BHW:20HH
BHW to Households
Total Active
425
BHW/MHW
Ratio of BHW to
1:152
Households (2018)
Functions of a Barangay Health Worker

1. Community Health Organizer

2. Health Educator
3. Health Care Provider
 Community Health Organizer
• He/She shall participate in organizing and mobilizing
the community towards self-reliance by:
– Provide linkages between the community and the local
health agencies
– Maintaining regular communication with community
leaders and professional health workers
– Assisting the community to develop a health plan and to
take action to promote their health problems
– Facilitating the community members to identify and
respond to their community health problems
– Keeping their records of work activities on health; and
– Developing appropriate knowledge and skills among
community members to promote their participation in
local health initiatives
Health Educator

• He/She shall provide knowledge and

skills to community members in the
prevention and management of simple
illnesses by:
– Conducting Health Classes and/or Household
Teachings
– Updating knowledge of communities on
relevant health issues; and
– Distributing appropriate information,
education, and communication materials
Health Care Provider

• He/She shall render primary health care

services to the members of the community by:
– Providing primary health care services as defined in
Section 5 Rule 1 for which he/she is trained.
– Referring patients with complication and those
suspected to have communicable disease to the
appropriate health center or hospital
– Keeping records of health activities in the community
and the health station; and
– Ensuring the proper maintenance of the health station
and the safe custody of its equipment, medical
supplies, and health records.
Evolving Functions of BHWs in the
contemporary World
Advocate
Promote, support, CHAMPION in current
health programs to improve access to & use of
quality health services.
Educator
Guide, advise, counsel community on DOH
and LGU health priorities
Disseminator
Maintain regular communication with local
health workers on health events and updates
relevant to community.
Evolving Functions of BHWs in the
contemporary World
Linker
Facilitates access od Community with
relevant network of health service providers
within or outside catchment

Record Keeper
Maintain update records/lists of health
data, health event/activities in communities
The qualities of a BHW are:

3 Cs - Compassionate (kind)
- Committed
- Creative (resourceful)
2 Vs - Voluntary Spirit
-Visionary leadership
1 P - Patient
1 H - Healthy
1 T - Team Worker (Good model/approachable)
Republic Act 7883

• R.A.7883 is The Barangay Health

Workers’ Benefits and Incentives Act of
1995 which is an Act granting benefits and
incentives to accredited BHWs for
voluntary health services rendered to the
community.
 Incentives and Benefits of the BHWs
under the RA 7883
• In recognition of their services, all accredited
BHWs who are actively and regularly
performing their duties shall be entitled to the
following incentives and benefits:
– Hazard Allowances
– Substinence Allowances
– Training and Education and Career Enrichment
Programs (TECEPS)
– Civil Service Eligibility
– Free Legal Services
– Preferential Access to Loan
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A
BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER
A. The Barangay Health Workers (BHWs)
are trained to serve in a barangay health
station (BHS) situated in his/her home
for a specific number of
families/households under his/her
coverage.
1. First and foremost, he/she must be able to
give adequate out-patient care and this
includes;

- Recognize signs and symptoms of common illness.

- Recognition and referral of those needing care.

2. Secondly, he/she must be able to give adequate
assistance to the midwives and/or nurses in the care
of mothers and children in the promotion of maternal
and child health and this includes;
- Arrangements and assistance in clinics, including
preventive and curative care and immunization.
- The ability to detect and refer the at-risk mothers and at-
risk children
- Referral of obstetrical emergencies
- Ensure Birth Plan for all pregnant mothers
- Monitoring of monthly weight and other health care needs
of the children.
3. He/she must be able to advise, encourage
and initiate improvements in the environmental
health at the barangay level. This includes;
- Improvement in sanitation as well as household and
community hygiene.
- Arrange and conduct lectures on environmental-related
illnesses.

4. He/she must be able to assist family

planning service with emphasis on
activities such as;
- Provide information on the methods of FP
- Referral of all potential and new family planning acceptors
- Follow-up defaulters.
5. He/she must be able to;
- Provide simple nutrition information to the community
 - Identify and refer malnourished children to the
midwives
 - Assist in weighing of children during “OPERATION
TIMBANG”

6. He/she must be able to give adequate
assistance to the midwives in the prevention
and control of communicable diseases
prevalent in the local community. This
includes;
 - Identification of common communicable diseases
prevalent in the area.
 - Reporting in the occurrence of communicable diseases.
 - Referral of cases of communicable diseases.
• 7. He/she must be able to administer and
manage activities as BHW at the BHS and
this includes;

- Care and safe keeping of drug supply and

medical equipment.
- Programming of their activities
- Delineation of principal duties, task and targets
- Good public relation and work as a team with
BHS and RHU personnel
B. The BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER is
trained clinically in different aspects of
health care.
The BHW must be able to:

• recognized situations requiring referral

• Recognized all common medical condition
including the common communicable diseases.
• Assist the midwife in diseases investigations
C. The BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER is
trained to initiate, organize, supervised
and conduct activities for preventive
medicines such as;
• pre-natal care
• post-natal care
• child health care
• immunization campaigns
• nutrition rehabilitation
• health education in schools and other places
• surveys
D. The BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER, in
order to fulfill both clinical and community
aspects of his/her work at the health
center, he/she must be able to perform
administrative function, such as;
• - Assist and conduct surveys.
• - Keep records
• - Perform monitoring and reporting
• - Maintain good relations with the public
 BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS…

“…are heroes that really go out of their way

just to make a difference in the lives of
others”.
The role of a BARANGAY HEALTH
WORKER is a difficult one. It entails a lot
of sacrifices to oneself and his/her
family… but the contentment of helping
those in need and the gratitude extended
to a BHW for his/her care and support to
his/her community are more than enough
to cover for the efforts and time spent as a
…
BARANGAY HEALTH WORKER.

God bless everyone!

THANK YOU!!!