Promoting health of every Filipino is the objective of DOST, the Northern Mindanao Consortium for Health Research and Development in this project.
Through the initiative of the Department of Science and Technology, the Northern Mindanao Consortium for Health Research and Development (NorMinCoHRD) with Alliance for Improving Health Outcomes (AIHO) facilitated a research priority-setting workshop that identified what need to be addressed for the next five years.
According to Engr. Romela N. Ratilla, NorMinCoHRD chairperson and DOST-X regional director, the goal is to improve the overall health status and quality of life of every Mindanoan in the community across ages, gender, culture, and income brackets to boost economic development.
Conducted recently in Cagayan De Oro, this was attended by a diverse group of experts and stakeholders in the region, including researchers, healthcare providers, and public health officials.
At the workshop were 13 member- and seven non-member institutions who participated in a series of interactive sessions, discussions, and presentations of national health sector directions and regional health context.
Also, outcome would foster collaboration among researchers, stakeholders, and communities, leading to more effective and sustainable health interventions. This will serve as a basis for funding decisions, policy development, and research programs in a five-year scope, helping to ensure that resources are allocated to areas where they will have a substantial impact on public health.
The participants identified health research topics of concern in the region based on their knowledge and experience, select criteria through which each research topic will be judged, and score to prioritize the research topics.
The development of a Regional Unified Health Research Agenda (RUHRA) for 2023–2028 is also part of the outcome which will also serve as input to the National Unified Health Research Agenda (NUHRA) 2023 – 2028.
Currently, the consortium has 15 active member institutions. Its mission is to generate and use knowledge, innovation, technology, products, and services in promoting the health of every Filipino by strengthening linkages and creating and sustaining an enabling environment for health research.
A copy of the Region 10 RUHRA 2023 – 2028 is yet to be released as of writing.