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The Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD), in coordination with the Region 1 Health Research and Development Consortium (R1HRDC), conducted the first phase of the capacity building on health research in disaster on January 23-24, 2018 at the Northview Hotel, Laoag City. Participated by 25 researchers, the training aims to equip young researchers in the region with the basic foundation in the field of disaster research.

Dr. Miguel Manuel Dorotan, Dr. Ofelia Saniel, and Dr. Ophelia Mendoza, the resource persons, introduced the basic principles and concepts on disaster risk reduction (DRR). The Phase II and Phase III of the training is scheduled on March 6-8 and April 3-4, 2018, respectively, by the same set of participants who attended the Phase I. At the end of the three trainings, the participants is expected to come up with a proposal that will address knowledge gap on disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.


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Last 11-12 January 2018, MMHRDC was invited to a 2-day workshop meeting in Cebu. The purpose of this meeting was to help the Technical Working Group to finalize the Development of the Technical Review Board Manual to be used by the TRB of the 17 Consortia. Participants from MMHRDC included Dr. Ofelia P. Saniel, RMC Chair of MMHRDC and a member of the Technical Working Group; Dr. Hilton Lam, Program Coordinator of MMHRDC; and Mr. Jesson James A. Montealto, one of the project staff of MMHRDC.
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Visayas Health Research and Development Consortium (WVHRDC) conducted its first training on Health Research and Development Information Network (HERDIN) last October 17, 2017 at CTE Building, West Visayas State University. The training was attended by 15 participants representing 12 institutions including librarians, IT personnel, doctors and research staff.

Ms. Violeta Intia, a Senior Science Research Specialist from PCHRD started the activity by discussing the overview of the workshop as well as setting the goals and objectives. During the lecture of Ms. Intia, she defined HERDIN as an online platform for bibliographic entries of completed researches in the Philippines. One of its objectives is to equip health research institutions the knowledge to make good use of the available resources. Following the lecture was the workshop proper conducted by Ms. Intia, Ms. Jeverly Principe, and Ms. Judy Ann Bacud of PCHRD. The workshop included lectures on ways to encode and upload to the database, searching researches, and document delivery. At the end of the session, each participant was tasked to come up with an output that will serve as an entry of their respective institution in the database.

The primary aim of the training is to encourage health research institutions to participate in strengthening the dissemination of information resources as part of managing knowledge for better health.

Written by: Gladys Mae C. Jimenez
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After successfully completing their research on the possible snail vectors of Schistosomiasis in areas surrounding Lake Mainit, Dr. Joycelyn Jumawan, researcher-professor funded by the Caraga Health Research and Development Consortium (CHRDC), shared the major findings of their study to the communities of Jabonga, Alegria and Kitcharao, in a health awareness forum, October 17.

Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease caused by blood flukes called Schistosomes, has plagued communities in the region for several years. With the spread of the disease, Dr. Jumawan and her team from Caraga State University studied the different species of snail vectors of Schistosomiasis and mapped out the distribution of these snails in the field using their infection rates from snails infected by furcocercous schistosome like cercariae.

Schistosomiasis, its major findings in Lake Mainit

In the forum, Dr. Jumawan revealed to the participants three snail species harboring schistosome like furcocercous cercariae that could potentially be new vectors for Schistosomiasis in lake Mainit—the Apple Snail (Ampullaria luzonica), Ear snail (Radix rubiginosa), and Pagoda Tiara (Thiara scabra). “These species were not the known snail vectors of Schistosomiasis in the Philippines. However, this finding needs to undergo molecular and ultrastructural studies to fully identify the species of the parasite for a more specific intervention,” adds Jumawan. For years, the residents think that the common snails such as the Oncomelania sp., Biomphalaria sp., and Gyraulus sp. are the snail vectors of the disease.






Using the geographical information system (GIS), the study also identified the species to be more abundant in rice fields, canals and creeks, with a higher infection rate observed in the rice fields. “There would be a higher potential for infection if humans will be exposed in the rice fields with the presence of these potential snail vectors,” says Dr. Jumawan. Wearing protective clothing while working in the ricefields can help prevent the infection. She also suggested to provide vaccination to carabaos and cattles in the rice field as these bovines could potentially increase spreading the disease.

Jumawan explained that a person gets infected by the disease through immediate skin contact with fresh water contaminated by the parasite. The larva penetrates the skin through releasing an enzyme which allows it to enter pores of the skin.

Ms. Jomella Torres, the Schisto coordinator of the Department of Health (DOH) Caraga, added that the infection does not come from eating the snails since the parasites can be killed by the acidity of the digestive system. Instead, poor sanitary toilets and water supply lead to the transmission of the disease. The cycle of the infection involves an infected person urinating or excreting feces near fresh water, where the eggs of the schistosome parasites can hatch and enter the snails. The parasite then swims to the water from the snail’s body and penetrates the skin of its host.

Solving the growing number of Schisto cases

According to Dr. Jumawan, Schistosomiasis can always be prevented with the appropriate strategies to successfully manage the disease in the area. She suggested local decision makers and government agencies alike to come up with a multi-component integrated control involving not only mass treatment to humans, wearing protective clothing in the field, improved sanitation, but also bovine treatment and vaccination for livestock.

Ms. Torres expressed full support from DOH Caraga to this campaign. “With the help of officials and health workers in the community as key players in sanitation and mass treatment of the disease, there are solutions to eradicating the spread and transmission of the disease,” says Torres.

Organized by the Caraga Health Research and Development Consortium (CHRDC), in partnership with the Department of Health – Caraga and the Local Government of Jabonga, the Health Education Awareness Forum on Schistosomiasis was attended by 69 participants composed of Barangay Health Workers, Rural Health Units, Barangay Officials and residents from municipalities of Jabonga, Alegria and Kitcharao.

The research project was funded by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD), with support from CHRDC.


*Article is lifted from http://caraga.dost.gov.ph/?p=1940
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Tacloban City, October 13, 2017 – For the different member institutions of Eastern Visayas Health and Development Consortium (EVHRDC) to be familiar with the principles of health research and good clinical practice and conduct of ethical clearance, the EVHRDC-Ethics Review Committee (ERC) organized a lecture series on these topics last October 12, 2017 at Hotel Rodolfo, Tacloban City.

The activity was participated by EVHRDC members, would be ERC members of member institutions and Regional Research Funded proponents. Highlighted topics were on History and Overview of Apply GCP, International, National Guidelines and Regulations in the conduct of health research, Principles of Good Clinical Practice (GDP), Ethical Considerations in Protocol Development, Ethical, Issues on Academic Research, Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality of Information. Speakers were Dr. Jose Carlo K. del Pilar, Dr. Sarah B. Delorino, Dr. Jane R. Borinaga, Dr. Noreen S. Buhat, and Atty. Alma Sonia Sanchez-Danday, respectively.

Dr. Jane R. Borinaga, the Chair of the EVHRDC-ERC, the organizer of the activity emphasized on the Standard Operating Procedure Manual (SOP) of the committee. The manual describes all activities and actions undertaken and will be undertaken by the Committee to achieve uniformity in the performance of its functions. The SOP Manual also simplifies the documentation of operations of the ERC to facilitate transparency and to lessen the delay of actions of the Committee. Orienting the group with the SOP Manual aimed to contribute to the development of a national and professional research ethics system, and to promote the role of ERCs in reviewing health research involving human participants in Eastern Visayas. Also present in the activity were Ms. Anicia Catameo, RPO of EVHRDC from PCHRD, who gave her opening message.
  1. 3rd Quarter ExeCom and Committee Chairs Meeting
  2. Otayza bags 2016 Presidential Gawad CES Award
  3. DOHRO8 in Collaboration with EVHRDC Conducts R&D Program: EVHRDC Research Management Committee Mentoring and Coaching Activity for Researchers in Region VIII
  4. EVHRDC Participates in the 11th PNHRS Week Celebration at PICC Pasay City