Hypertension: Awareness and Understanding

Every second Thursday of the month marks the Anti-Hypertensive and Anti-Diabetic Medications distribution day. Mr. J. Donaire, the nurse under the Rural Health Unit - Nurse Deployment Program comes to the Barangay Health Station. With the help of two Barangay Health Workers, they monitor the blood pressures of the hypertensive individuals in the barangay who are enrolled in the Anti-Hypertensive Program of the Rural Health Unit. Mr. Donaire distributes the prescribed medication while encouraging the patients to take their medications daily and promoting healthy lifestyle.

But this second Thursday of the month, the Team New Barili and Beyond also assisted in this monthly activity. The team prepared a short teaching session to help the hypertensive individuals understand and be reminded of the causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention of hypertension. The team believes that knowledge and understanding is the key to a better adherence to treatment and lifestyle change. With this in mind the short lecture was presented with pictures to help them visualize the concepts and discussed with interaction from the audience. The team hopes to do more of this activity to increase their awareness of the condition and eventually help increase adherence to treatment plan.

- Arielle Marie Barrientos