IPC Hosts eTURO-WE CaN Webinars

To promote discussions on COVID-19-related issues that remain unabated, eHealth Training on Unified Resources Online (eTURO) initiated a webinar series with the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCHRD) called “Sustaining the Conversation on COVID-19: How Do We Cope? The eTURO Webinar Series on Engaging Communities and Networks.” Also known as “WE CaN!!,” the series continually provides updated and accurate COVID-19 information while highlighting individual and institutional responses to help address the effects of the pandemic.

Through existing networks of both eTURO and other IPC projects, several webinar series have been produced under the WECaN!! project including “COVID-19 and Me,” “Kwentong Kalusugan sa Komunidad ukol sa COVID-19,” “Changing Health Belief Models and Behaviors,” “Vulnerabilities, Preparedness, and Resilience,” “COVID-19 and the ASEAN Community,” and “Transitions in Social Health Insurance and Health Programs.” To date, a total of 22 webinars have been aired with each webinar garnering an average of 1,381 online participants.

In 2019, eTURO began co-producing webinars on social health insurance, the LGU scorecard on health, and the Universal Health Care Act with its partners. On February 13, 2020, eTURO conducted its preliminary webinar on COVID-19 entitled “COVID-19 and Me: How do we cope?” followed by a similar webinar on March 13, 2020. Attended by approximately 1,700 participants, the preliminary webinars covered topics such as emerging issues and concerns stemming from COVID-19. Representatives from the infectious disease research community, public health managers, and institutional leaders working on addressing the effects of the pandemic joined both webinars.

The eTURO is a research project of The Institute of Philippine Culture (IPC), which is funded by the DOST-PCHRD. The project intends to provide a centralized platform that consolidates eHealth and other health-related training programs and materials for the easy access of health professionals and community health workers seeking additional training and certification.

Looking ahead, the IPC is working on a partnership with the Center for Health Development - CALABARZON (CHD4A) of the Department of Health to produce webinars targeted to specific healthcare workers in the region. Moving forward on the second phase of the WECaN!! webinars, the project is anticipating an upcoming collaboration with the Philippine Association of Nutritionists (PAN), some DOST Regional Offices, and the Regional Health Research and Development Consortium (RHRDC).

For updates and information on upcoming WE CaN!! webinars, visit IPC’s official website and official Facebook page. ■