DOH Annual Calendar

January 2010
Deworming of School Children (Grade 1-6)- Round 1
18-22 National Cancer Awareness Week
24-30 Goiter Awareness Week
29 – World Leprosy Day

» 7319 reads

February 2010
National Health Insurance Program Month Oral Health Month

1-5 National Mental Retardation Week

4 – World Cancer Day
3rd wk Leprosy Prevention and Control Week

» 5955 reads

March 2010
Burn Injury Prevention Month
Colon and Rectal Cancer Awareness Month
National Women’s Health Month
Rabies Awareness Month

8 National Women;s Day 

22 World Water Day
24 World TB Day

» 4790 reads

April 2010
Cancer in Children Awareness Month

7   World Health Day

12-16 Garantisadong Pambata – Round 1
22 Philippine Earth's Day 
25 World Malaria Day
4th wk Head and Neck Consciousness Week

» 4344 reads

May 2010
Cervical Cancer Awareness Month
Natural Family  Planning Month
Road Safety Month

2         World Asthma Day

10-14   Safe Motherhood Week
16        AIDS Candlelight Memorial Day
19        World Hypertension Day
31        World No Tobacco Day

» 4389 reads

June 2010
Dengue Awareness Month
National Kidney Month
No Smoking Month 
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

5   World Environmental Day

14 World Blood Donor Day
14-18 Safe Kids Week
23 DOH Anniversary
25 National Patients Safety Day
4th week National Poison Prevention Week
» 5655 reads

July 2010
Deworming of School Children (Grade 1-6) Round 2
National Blood Donors Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Nutrition Month
Schistosomiasis Awareness Month
8   National Allergy Day
11 World Population Day
12-17 National Diabetes Awareness Week
12-17 National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week

» 6706 reads

August 2010
Family Planning Month
Lung Cancer Awareness Month
National Lung Month
National Tuberculosis Awareness Month
Sight-Saving Month

1-7 World Breastfeeding Week

2-6 Mother-Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Week
6-12 National Hospital Week
11-17 Phil. National Research System  Week 
16-20 Asthma Week
3rd wk Brain Attack Awareness Week 
19 – National Tuberculosis day

» 4941 reads

September 2010
Generics Awareness Month
Liver Cancer Awareness Month

1-7 National Epilepsy Awareness Week

7-11 Obesity Prevention and Awareness Week
26- World Heart Day
28 World Rabies Day

October 2010
Breast Cancer Awarenss Month
National Children’ Month

1-7 Elderly Filipino Week

4-8 National Mental Health Week
4-8 National Newborn Screening Week
10 – World Mental Health Day
10 – World Sight Day
11-15 Bone and Joint Awareness Week
11-15 Garantisadong Pambata – Round 3
15 Global Handwashing Day
18-22 Health Education Week
18-22 National Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Awareness Week
25-29 Food Safety Awareness Week

» 4041 reads

November 2010
Cancer Pain Awareness Month
Filariasis Awareness Month
Malaria Awareness Month
Traditional and Alternative Health Care Month

1-5 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Awareness Week

7 National Food Fortification Day
2nd Week National Skin Disease Detection and Prevention Week
8-12 Deaf Awareness Week
14 World Diabetes Day
15-19 Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Week
22-26 Population and Development Week
 About NARS
In line with the pump priming strategies to mitigate the impact of the global financial crisis, President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo launched the Nurses Assigned in Rural Service (NARS) Project on 9
February 2009 during the Multi-Sectoral Summit on "Joining Hands Against the Global Crisis" in
Malacanan Palace, Manila.
 
The NARS Program, a Training cum Deployment Program, aims to address the (1) glut in inexperienced
nurses and the proliferation of "volunteer nurses" working in hospitals without being paid, but instead,
they themselves pay the hospitals to obtain Certificate of work experience; and (2) to promote health of
the people and bring the government closer to them.
 
Unemployed nurses will be mobilized in their hometowns as warriors for wellness to do the three I's:
 Initiate primary health, school nutrition, maternal health programs, first line diagnosis
 Inform about community water sanitation practices and also do health surveillance
 Immunize children and mothers.
They shall likewise serve as roving nurses for rural schools.
 
Nurses will be deployed at an average of 5 per town in the 1,000 poorest municipalities, for a six-months
tour of duty. Another batch will be deployed for the second half of the year. These nurses will undergo
training and development for competency enhancement in accordance with the training program designed
by the DOH in collaboration with the PRC-BON. The training program will cover both the clinical and
public health functions.
 
Completion of the training program under NARS program shall be considered as a substitute for the work
experience requirement of hospitals and other health facilities, both local and overseas. The Certificate of
Completion shall be issued jointly by the DOLE, DOH and PRC.
 
While on training, nurses will be given a stipend/allowance of P8,000.00 per month. This translates to
about P366.00 per day for a forty (40) hours training/workweek. As these nurses are already in their
hometowns, transportation expenses will no longer be a problem.
 
The stipend of P8,000 may be increased if the host LGUs will offer a counterpart of say P2,000.
Corporations may chip in by providing shirts, insurance, vitamins, etc., making the program a national
enterprise with private equity.
Program Coverage
Unemployed registered nurses who are physically and mentally fit and willing to serve in their hometowns
and who meet the following requirements may qualify for the training cum employment under NARS:
 With valid nurse license issued by the PRC
 Not over 35 years old
 Resident of the identified municipalities
 No nursing-related practice for the past 3 years
Nurse applicants who are dependents of workers affected by the Global Crisis based on the list provided
by the DOLE Regional office shall be given priority in the selection.
Online Application
Application may be filed from 20 February 2009 to 22 March 2009. List of successful applicants with area
of assignment shall be posted on 26-31 March 2009.
Covered Municipalities
The selection of the 1,000 poorest municipalities shall be based on the City and Municipal Poverty
Incidence based onSmall Area Poverty Estimates (SAE) of the National Statistics and Coordination
Board/World Bank Intercensal Updating of Small Area Poverty Estimates. This same SAE is being used
by the DSWD in their Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and also for prioritizing target households for
their National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction. Covered under the NARS Project shall
be those cities and municipalities with poverty rank 1 (poorest) to rank 1,000.
Timetable of Activities
First Batch (5,000 nurse-trainees)
February
20 -
1. Recruitment and selection
March
22
March
2. Posting of successful applicants with area of assignment
26-31
3. Orientation of nurse-trainees, Deployment to area of assignments April 1-2