HEALTH STRATEGIES

1. PROMOTIVE HEALTH SERVICE

- is an activity and / or a series of health service activities that prioritize health promotion activity.
- The process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health.
The example:
 Promoting breastfeeding.
 Promoting child and family nutrition.
 Promoting physical activity.
 Smoking cessation programs such as 'quit' activities and 'brief interventions'

2. PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICE

- is a preventive activity against a health problem / illness.

Levels of Prevention
a) Primary prevention
b) Secondary prevention
c) Tertiary prevention

The example : healthcare services that include check-ups, patient counseling, and screenings to
prevent illness, disease and other health-related problems

3. CURATIVE HEALTH SERVICE

- is an activity and / or a series of treatment activities aimed at healing of disease, the reduction of
suffering from the disease, disease control, or disability control in order to control the quality of the
patient that can be maintained as optimal as possible.
The example: chemotherapy, which seeks to cure cancer patients.

4. REHABILITATIVE HEALTH SERVICE/Special healthcare services

- that help a person regain physical, mental, and/or cognitive (thinking and learning) abilities that
have been lost or impaired as a result of disease, injury, or treatment. Rehabilitation services help
people return to daily life and live in a normal or near-normal way.

The example: Services: physical therapy, speech and language therapy, cognitive therapy, and
mental health rehabilitation services

5. Traditional Health Services

- refers to the knowledge, skills and practices based on the theories, beliefs and experiences
indigenous to different cultures, used in the maintenance of health and in the prevention, diagnosis,
improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness

- The examples:

a. Traditional alternative medicine.

o Acupuncture is a technique that involves inserting very thin metal needles into the skin at
precise points on the body to clear energy channels, with the aim of restoring and maintaining
health
o Ayurveda/Ayurvedic medicine is one of the world's oldest holistic (“whole-body”) healing
systems.
o Homeopathy is a medical system based on the belief that the body can cure itself. Those who
practice it use tiny amounts of natural substances, like plants and minerals.
o Naturopathy a system of treatment of disease that avoids drugs and surgery and emphasizes
the use of natural agents (such as air, water, and herbs) and physical means (such as tissue
manipulation and electrotherapy)
o Chinese or Oriental medicine.
 b. Body. Touch has been used in medicine since the early days of medical care. Healing by touch is
based on the idea that illness or injury in one area of the body can affect all parts of the body.
o Massage
o Body movement therapies
o Yoga
o Reiki
c. Diet and herbs.
o Dietary supplements
o Herbal medicine

10 Medicinal Plants in the Philippines endorsed by DOH:

1. Akapulko (Cassia alata) a medicinal plant called "ringworm bush or schrub" and "acapulco" in
English, this Philippine herbal medicine is used to treat tinea infections, insect bites, ringworms,
eczema, scabies and itchiness.
2. Ampalaya (Momordica charantia) Common names include "bitter melon " or "bitter gourd " in
English. This Philippine herbal medicine has been found to be effective in the treatment of diabetes
(diabetes mellitus), hemofrhoids, coughs, burns and scalds, and being studied for anti-cancer
properties.
3. Bawang (Allium sativum) Common name in english is "Garlic". Bawang is a used in Philippine
herbal medicine to treat infection with antibacterial, antiinflammatory, anti-cancer and
anti-hypertensive properties. It is widely used to reduce cholesterol level in blood.
4. Bayabas (Psidium guajava) - "Guava" in English. A Philippine herbal medicine used as antiseptic,
anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, antioxidant hepatoprotective, anti-allergy, antimicrobial,
anti-plasmodial, anti-cough, antidiabetic, and antigenotoxic in folkloric medicine.
5. Lagundi (Vitex negundo) - known as "5-leaved chaste tree" in english is used in Philippine herbal
medicine to treat cough, colds and fever. It is also used as a relief for asthma & pharyngitis,
rheumatism, dyspepsia, boils, and diarrhea.
6. Niyog-niyogan (Quisqualis indica L.) - is a vine known as "Chinese honey suckle". This Philippine
herbal medicine is used to eliminate intestinal parasites.
7. Sambong (Blumea balsamifera)- English name: "Ngai camphor or Blumea camphor" is a Philippine
herbal medicine used to treat kidney stones, wounds and cuts, rheumatism, anti-diarrhea, anti
spasms, colds and coughs and hypertension
8. Tsaang Gubat (Ehretia microphylla Lam.) - English :"Wild tea" is a Philippine herbal medicine
taken as tea to treat skin allergies including eczema, scabies and itchiness wounds in child birth
9. Ulasimang Bato | Pansit-Pansitan (Peperomia pellucida) is a Phillipine herbal medicine known for
its effectivity in treating arthritis and gout.
10. Yerba Buena (Clinopodium douglasii) - commonly known as Peppermint, is used in Philippine
herbal medicine as analgesic to relive body aches and pain due to rheumatism and gout. It is also
used to treat coughs, colds and insect bites

d. Mind.
o Meditation theraphy
o Hypnotheraphy