DOH-ARMM's assistant secretary to represent PH in U.S.-sponsored professional exchange program

Cotabato City (March 16, 2017) – A Health department official of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will represent the country in a global health initiative sponsored by the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).

Dyan Sangkula Jumaide, assistant secretary of the Department of Health-ARMM, said the multi-regional project dubbed “Global Health: Building Country Capacity,” to be administered by Meridian International Center, will start on March 18 and end on April 8.

Participants in the program are from 21 other countries who are medical professionals involved in healthcare treatment and disease prevention education programs, including nurses, doctors, hospital administrators, Ministry of Health officials, educators, nongovernmental organization staff, social workers, and media.

The program kicks off in Washington DC and will include visits to Boston, Massachusetts; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Salt Lake City, Utah; San Diego, California; and Atlanta, Georgia.

The three-week program will introduce the role of the U.S. federal, state and municipal government agencies and nongovernmental organizations in developing and implementing public health programs and policies.
Healthcare trends and training and the latest research in the field of public health especially in cancer, stroke, diabetes, childhood and infectious diseases will be covered during visits to research centers, medical schools, and teaching hospitals.

The program will include opportunities to examine research, prevention, treatment, patient counseling, public outreach and education, and support services, and meet with professional counterparts, medical personnel, and activists to share success stories and challenges.

The Department of State has outlined the following specific project objectives:

• Promote international cooperation on the common challenges facing the global community in preventing, treating, and managing health problems affecting general populations;

• Examine state and local efforts aimed at preventative screening and wellness programs including those that promote maternally and child health;

• Assess public awareness campaigns about health issues impacted by economic downturns, poverty, and other external challenges that affect health care delivery systems;

• Network with professional counterparts – both U.S. and international – to increase information sharing and to promote transparency in discussing global health issues;

• Examine the role of university teaching and research facilities in developing capacity; and

• Discuss public health issues with key U.S. government agencies including the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Department of Health and Human Services as well as at the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator.

“In ARMM, the lack of health workers is one of the problems besetting the healthcare system, so maybe through this program, I could learn better health practices on how to address health problems issues in our region and in our country,” Assistant Secretary Jumaide said.

Starting as a staff nurse at the Datu Alawaddin Bandon Sr. Memorial Hospital in Tawi-Tawi (1993-2000), Assistant Secretary Jumaide became a health information officer in the same province (2000-2006), project officer of USAID (2006-2010), assemblywoman, and currently as DOH-ARMM’s assistant secretary.

Participants in the IVLP are nominated and selected annually by the staff at U.S. embassies around the world. (Bureau of Public Information)