BARMM’s "DOH Red Orchid Award Hall of Fame 2022" awardees
HEALTH • 18:15 PM Sat Feb 4, 2023
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By:
Edwin O. Fernandez
The 2022 Red Orchid Awardees in BARMM.
COTABATO CITY - For helping the Department of Health (DOH) national office and the Ministry of Health in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MOH-BARMM) effectively implementing no-smoking policies, the health department has recognized on Thursday 11 government offices and hospitals.
Saida Ali, MOH-BARMM information officer, said the awarding was made possible through the MOH Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) clusters.
Calling the anti-smoking advocacy in health facilities and government offices "Red Orchid Award," the program recognized agencies and hospitals that persistently advocated and promoted smoke-free environment.
Dr. Ahsan Paudac, head of MOH-BARMM NCD cluster, said the program was one of the strategies aimed at ensuring smoke free environment and work places across the region and in other parts of the country.
“Congratulations to the awardees, you deserve these awards and recognition, we appreciate your efforts in maintaining a healthy surrounding in BARMM,” Dr. Paudac said.
Ali said the accompanying the recognition and awards were trophies and cash incentives of PHP25,000 for first time awardees and PHP50,000 for hall of famers.
First time awardees were the Datu Odin Sinsuat District Hospital in Maguindanao del Norte and the 12th Forward Service Support Unit ASCOM, Philippines Army for Red Orchid First Timer Award (2021).
The Red Orchid Award Hall of Famers 2022 are the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-BARMM Regional Office, Cotabato City Jail, Upi Municipal Jail, and Parang District Jail both in Maguindanao del Norte, Wao Municipal Jail and Malabang District Jail in Lanao del Sur, Lamitan City Jail in Basilan, Jolo District Jail in Sulu, and Bongao District Jail in Tawi-Tawi.
Ali said the Red Orchid Award is an award system developed by the DOH to encourage the LGUs, government offices and hospitals to ensure a 100 percent Tobacco-Free Environment.
In her acceptance speech, Jail Superintendent Faridah Ali, a medical doctor, said the government’s anti-smoking campaign are not only keeping safe civil servants and the people around hospitals and government offices but “our respective families, too.”
“This program (Red Orchid Awards) is really very helpful, we were made instruments to help save others from killer diseases due to smoking,” said JSupt. Ali, also the BJMP-BARMM assistant regional director. (EOF)
