Strengthening Hypertension Diagnosis and Management in the Primary Health Care Setting

In line with the Department of Health 8-Point agenda, Bawat Pilipino, Ramdam ang Kalusugan,
strengthening the primary health care approach, ensuring that every Filipino has access to
primary health care services, the DOH-CHD SOCCSKSARGEN Region Non-Communicable Disease
Cluster led by Dr. Adimelca C. Gangoso, MPH, Medical Specialist III, along with the
Cardiovascular Disease/Hypertension Program coordinators, Dr. Joanna Carla M. Estorninos, RN,
Medical Officer III and Ms. Marifort Rafael, RN, Nurse V, conducted a training on the Healthy
Heart Project for clinicians in the screening, diagnosing and managing hypertensive patients was
held on March 21-22, 2024 at Paraiso Verde Hotel and Resort, Koronadal City, South Cotabato.

This orientation focused on capacitating the region’s Municipal Health Officers (MHOs) and
Doctors-to-the-Barrio (DTTBs) to make sound clinical decision in screening, diagnosis, managing
the hypertensive patients using standardized clinical practice guidelines (CPG). This activity also
aims to promote heart health, prevent cardiovascular diseases, and manage hypertension
through education, lifestyle modification, and medical intervention.

The program component is community engagement through awareness campaign, educational

workshop which provides information about cardiovascular disease its risk factors and
prevention, screening through the regular blood pressure check – up, lifestyle modification by
eating healthy diet with low salts and saturated fats, monitoring through regular check-up, and
giving medical intervention through medication.

Recent WHO data shows that Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death
globally accounting to 17.9 million lives and hypertension is the leading preventable risk factor
causing deaths. Both remains a problem due to its increasing prevalence, high rates of
unawareness, poor blood pressure control and inadequate treatment of hypertension. Data
shows that Non-Communicable Diseases accounts for seven (7) out of ten (10) most common
cause of mortality in the region.

Invited resource speakers are internists from SOCCSKSARGEN General Hospital, Dr. Omar
Julhassan T. Molleno, FPCP, Medical Specialist II and Dr. Excel B. Estacion, DPCP, Medical Officer
III to share their expertise in diagnosis and management of hypertension. With this
collaborative effort ensured participants received latest information about diagnosis, and
treatment of hypertension with the goal of better health outcomes by reducing the mortality
rate attributed to non-communicable diseases.