Siargao Island: Road traffic injuries claim the lives of about 1,670 children in the country every year.
According to Philippines News Agency, this alarming statistic was presented during the three-day Health Literacy Seminar organized by the Department of Health (DOH) 13 (Caraga Region) held in Siargao Island from May 26 to 28. The seminar addressed the global issue of road traffic injuries, which remain the leading cause of death among children aged 5 to 14 and young adults aged 15 to 29, as highlighted in a report by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The report was part of a discussion titled "Making Streets Safe and Livable for Children: Child Road Traffic Injury Prevention Programming."
In 2023 alone, the Philippines recorded 13,101 deaths due to road traffic accidents, with 1,044 of these fatalities involving individuals below 18 years old. Meanwhile, in 2024, Northern Mindanao reported 3,929 road traffic-related injury cases, and the Caraga Region saw 295 cases. To address these concerns, the seminar emphasized comprehensive strategies to enhance child road safety, which include the implementation of a 'Safe System' approach. This approach integrates safe road infrastructure, effective training and education, and strict enforcement of traffic rules.
Key priorities targeting child safety involve the establishment of low-speed zones around schools, improving road safety education, and promoting the use of protective devices for children.
Understanding health concepts was another focus of the seminar, which aimed to familiarize media participants from Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and Caraga with health concepts and medical terminology. The goal was to ensure a common understanding, correct usage, and fair and balanced reporting of health-related issues.
Dr. Dominic Maddumba, officer-in-charge of the agency's Health Promotion Bureau (HPB), emphasized the importance of simplifying medical terms to enhance public understanding in his opening message. Nora Lanuza Molde, an information officer with the Philippine Information Agency in the Caraga Region, highlighted the seminar's value, stating, "The seminar was helpful for me as a government communicator, especially on the importance of using simplified and correct medical terms in our messaging to the public." She further noted that the approaches introduced by DOH enable government communicators to share accurate health information, thereby preventing confusion or misinformation.
Other significant topics covered during the seminar included Health News Reporting, The Hypertension Pandemic: Innovations in Treatment and Lifestyle Change, The Burden of Thyroid Disorders in the Philippines, and Enhancing Thyroid Health Care Delivery in Vulnerable Areas through Thyromobile.
