Located in the easternmost part of Victoria, Tarlac, the area of Barangay Masalasa consists mainly of rice farms actively being tilled for production. Against this backdrop, a vibrant lady in a blue shirt can be seen taking the blood pressure of patients with a beaming smile. Amidst the limitations and challenges she faces, Geralyn Capitulo, a Community Health Nurse (CHN), dutifully cares for the health and well-being of Masalasa’s residents (with a population of 1,849, as per latest Census) through the Alay sa Ginhawa at Kalusugan (ALAGA KA) program of Health Futures Foundation, Inc. (HFI).
Geralyn has been a CHN of HFI for a year now. Having been deployed previously for four months in a barangay in another town in Tarlac, she has developed the confidence needed in taking on the challenges in Masalasa. As a CHN, Geralyn serves as a health care provider, a teacher, and a community organizer. She provides primary healthcare services, including health education, to Masalasa residents. She organizes the barangay into clusters and conducts capacity-building activities for Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) and Health Cluster Leaders (collectively referred to as Community Health Workers or CHWs) to equip them with basic skills in providing preventive-promotive health care to the community. All of these activities are part of the Community-Based Health and Wellness Program (CBHWP) of ALAGA KA.
With the CHWs, Geralyn educates the community members of Masalasa on how to address common health problems and mobilize resources to implement health programs and activities in the community. At first, the difficulties in accessing resources, mobilizing volunteer health workers, dealing with the changing community event schedules and complex community dynamics were daunting, but she learned to be resourceful and imaginative in working around those limitations.
For example, with physical distance, it is not easy to gather the CHWs for training. “There are times when the vehicle of the barangay is unable to fetch the CHWs for the capacity-building activities we have,” Geralyn shared. (Dahil sa layo ng kanilang lokasyon, may mga pagkakataon na hindi sila mapuntahan ng service ng barangay kapag may mga pagsasanay na gagawin.)
Geralyn shares that the CHWs are willing to learn what they can do to help address the health problems of the community. However, it is a challenge for her to instill on the CHWs the value of serving the community selflessly. With the measly allowance BHWs receive, some of them have to work other jobs to sustain their families. This makes it difficult for them to commit to the program.
Now more aware of the contexts and struggles of the CHWs, as well as the culture, hopes and aspirations of the people in Masalasa, Geralyn now feels more enabled to build stronger relationships with and among the CHWs and community members.
When asked about what motivates her to be a better CHN, Geralyn’s answer exudes selflessness. “I continue being a CHN because I aspire to help the people and educate them as much as possible with my abilities and the available resources in the community,” Geralyn said. (Nagpatuloy ako bilang isang CHN sa dahil sa hangarin ko na makatulong sa mga tao sa abot po ng aking makakaya at sa kakayanan ng komunidad.)
Although she is not expecting visible results right away, Geralyn shares the joyful moments when she felt that the people of Masalasa appreciated her, and the service she and the CVHWs provide. “The patient did not know how to give back. I said, it is okay, I am happy to help others. It is heartwarming when people remember the simple things I do,” she said about a stroke patient whom she referred to the Victoria Rural Health Unit (RHU), and was given adequate treatment. (Hindi niya alam kung paano siya makakabawi. Sabi ko po ay okay lang naman po. Masaya naman akong tumulong sa iba. Nakakataba ng puso na sa simpleng bagay na ganun na nagawa ay naaalala ka ng tao.)
“To those aspiring to become CHNs, they need persistence, patience, and skills to get along with people in the community,” Geralyn advises would-be CHNs. (Ang maipapayo ko po ay kailangan maging matiyaga at habaan ang pasensiya at matutong makisama sa mga tao dito sa community.) Fueled by perseverance, Geralyn tries to empower each of the community members in the hope of a healthier Masalasa.
__
Written by: Lizette Abibuag
Edited by: Pedrito dela Cruz and Nina Coronel
Read other CHN stories here.
