Gearing towards prioritizing mental well-being, the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental, through the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center (DOPMC), in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) Project formally launched Selah: Davao Oriental Mental Wellness Hub last August 9, 2023. The noble initiative is a significant step forward in addressing the mental health needs, particularly of the DOPMC healthcare workers and the greater Davao Oriental community.
Selah: The Davao Oriental Mental Wellness Hub, the first of such facilities in the entire Philippines, aims to provide a safe haven for DOPMC’s healthcare workers to vent and express their mental health concerns. The facility seeks to establish an open, supportive, and healing environment where they can connect and feel secure.
The mental wellness hub, established under the leadership of DOPMC Chief of Hospital Dr. Reden Bersaldo, is the product of a deliberate desire to raise mental health awareness not just within the confines of DOPMC but also for the entire Province of Davao Oriental. Selah, according to Dr. Bersaldo, demonstrates the province’s commitment to promoting mental health as part of the holistic well-being of an individual.
FHI 360 Philippines Country Representative Dr. Soliman Guirgis graced the inauguration ceremony and conveyed his appreciation for the partnership between the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental and USAID’s EpiC Project. The partnership, which resulted from both entities’ shared vision, represents a remarkable synergy in creating a safe haven for mental well-being for the people of the province.
Guirgis lauded the Provincial Government’s tireless efforts towards creating such an outstanding facility, underlining the unwavering dedication that led to its realization. It is through USAID’s EpiC project that the mental wellness hub was funded and developed for DOPMC. To date, USAID’s EpiC Project is present in 82 hospitals across 17 regions. It has brought together 5,000 health care professionals in 10 specialized communities of practice events, trained more than 200 health care workers on mental health resilience and donated oxygen commodities, mechanical ventilators consumables and supplies to hospitals around the country. USAID’s EpiC Project is being implemented in the Philippines by FHI 360.
While the mental wellness hub, for the time being, primarily serves the healthcare workers of DOPMC, acknowledging the enormous toll the nature of their profession may have an impact on their mental health, Governor Niño Sotero L. Uy, Jr. expressed his aspirations to expand its services to a broader range of residents in the near future. The governor’s desire highlights the initiative’s inclusive nature and shows a collective commitment to safeguarding the mental health of all of Oriental Dabawenyos.
“The Provincial Government of Davao Oriental, working closely alongside the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center and our partner agencies and organizations, will continue to work diligently to expand and magnify this initiative. We acknowledge the need to reach out to more people in our community who are battling silently with mental health issues,” Governor Uy said.
Governor Uy also calls on everyone to “take an active role in raising awareness about mental health, breaking down the stigma of barriers, and offering assistance to those in need.”
“Let us take time to care and listen to each one. A simple “Hi, how are you? Kumusta man ka?” can go a long way and can be an instrument to save someone from drowning in his mental struggle,” the governor encouraged.
The governor further noted that the Mental Wellness Hub represents a pivotal period in the provincial government’s approach to mental health as it sets out on its mission to offer comfort and support to its people. The inaugural ceremony served as a symbol of growth and development, highlighting the province’s sincere efforts to eliminate the stigma associated with mental health. By Francis Jay Butulan | Photos by Mark Oliver Alvite
