Tacloban City, Leyte — In a race against time, a dedicated team of researchers, healthcare professionals, and local leaders have converged in Tacloban City for a high-stakes workshop that could unlock the keys to transforming health systems in the Eastern Visayas region.
The Eastern Visayas Health Research and Development Consortium (EVHRDC) hosts a three-day "Participatory Action Research for Health Systems - Research Proposal Enhancement Workshop" from May 27 to May 29, 2024.This workshop, spearheaded by the consortium’s Research Management Committee and Capacity Building Committee, brings together diverse participants from across the region.
On the first day, the workshop began with an introduction to participatory action research by the manager of the SIHI Philippine Hub, Dr. Jana Mier-Alpano, who also discussed applying human-centered design in PAR. It was followed by a presentation from Mr. Arturo Ongkeko Jr., RN, MSc, on applying PAR in digital health innovations. Dr. Meredith Labarda, then shared an example of a PAR study, "Implementing a Community Engagement Self-Monitoring (CE-SM) Strategy for Social Innovations in Health: the Philippine Plot."
Over the next two days, the participants will present their research proposals and engage in intense discussions to refine and strengthen the quality and relevance of their work. The workshop aims to enable the participants to describe PAR and its application in health systems, discuss its use and human-centered design in health innovations, revise their research proposals to integrate its principles and methods and draft full research proposals incorporating its design.
As the workshop unfolds, the participants remain focused and determined, driven by the shared goal of unlocking the secrets to building healthier communities and creating a lasting legacy of positive change. With one day left in the workshop, the participants know that the hard work is far from over, but their resolve is unwavering, fueled by the belief that their efforts will leave an indelible mark on the region's healthcare landscape.
