Briones launches Oplan Kalusugan

PAMPANGA – Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones recently led the launch of Oplan Kalusugan (OK) sa DepEd Program, and recognized the vital role of all DepEd health personnel in the delivery of quality, accessible, relevant, and liberating basic education for all.

Briones presented this new initiative, together with Undersecretary for Administration Alain Del Pascua and other DepEd officials, during the 2017 National Conference of DepEd Health Workers from December 7 to 8 at the Hotel Stotsenberg in Pampanga, which was attended by around 1,100 DepEd health personnel nationwide.

“This OK sa DepEd Program is a converging effort where health plans, policies, programs, and activities are implemented to ensure that all school children are provided with basic primary health and dental care to allow them to attain their full educational potential,” she said.

“It will also ensure that all DepEd school health personnel and school children practice healthier behavior that they can do on their own, and get linked up with health providers and local government units (LGUs) for child and adolescent health services,” she added.

The OK sa DepEd Program is set to take its full implementation in July, school year (SY) 20182019 with the Department of Health (DOH), LGUs, and various stakeholders at the local and national levels.

Some of the major school health programs of the Department include the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP); Drug Education Campaign; Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH) Education Program; Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (Wash) Program; and medical, dental, and nursing services.

Other school health advocacy and support programs of DepEd are the Gulayan sa Paaralan; Healthy School Environment; School-Based Immunization Program; Helminth Control; and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, among others.

“We want our learners to grow and be educated up to their full potential, and this can be achieved through the active contribution of all of you [DepEd health workers] in keeping our learners healthy, as well as our teaching and other non-teaching personnel, thus increasing the level of school participation, attendance, and access to education of Filipino learners,” Briones said.

This Conference was spearheaded by the DepEd-Bureau of Learner Support Services (BLSS), through its School Health Division (SHD). DEPED