PIA Press Release
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

RHRDC-8 sets research priorities for Eastern Visayas

Funded by the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD), the RUHRA will serve as the bases for health researchers to ensure that they are linked to the health systems and needs of the region and that they should be given priorities.

The research agenda identified by the group has mainly focused on priority areas such as infectious diseases, lifestyle diseases, environmental health and the traditional and alternative medicine.

The workshop that was held at the Leyte SMED Center in Tacloban City was attended by representatives from different health institutions, national line agencies, state colleges and universities.

Aside from the research priority settings, the two-day activity also served as the venue for some principles among which is the agreement that researches should be achievable in 5 years and therefore geared towards the development of new products and technologies, or actions and policies that need to be adopted in the development of basic practices.

The health researches will then be used to generate knowledge, technologies and innovations in health, and ensure its utilization to further strengthen the development of the local research culture.

The EVHRDC is a local research organization which takes charge of promoting, linking and pooling of resources to facilitate health research activities region 8. It likewise manages and coordinates the health research system of the region.

The council is composed of sub-committees namely: Research Management, Resource Management, Ethics Review and Research Information. The consortium is being chaired by the Regional Director of the Department of Health, Dr. Edgardo Gonzaga, with Director Edgardo Esperancilla of the Department of Science and Technology as the Co-Chair. (ldl/PIA-8)