Villanobos, Z. T. (2016). Operationalization of a health emergency preparedness, response and recovery plan for a resilient local health system in Mayorga, Leyte (Unpublished master's thesis). Graduate School of Public and Development Management, Development Academy of the Philippines.

Graduate School of Public and Development Management Health Systems and Development Batch 6 Thesis (MPM-HSD)--Development Academy of the Philippines.

Mayorga is one of the municipalities in the Province of Leyte that was severely affected by the ill-health affects of super typhoon Yolanda that occured in November 2013.Local heath responses during emergencies and disasters were feeble, uncoordinated, ineffective, and inefficient. Health human resources capabilities to prepare and respond to the disaster were also insufficient. Mayorga never had a Health Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery (HEPRRP) Plan or any heath emergency plan despite an existing Department of Health (DOH) mandate. This action plan and project aims to formulate a well-crafted Health Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Plan (HEPRRP) that will effectively manage health impacts during emergencies and disasters in the municipality of Mayorga, Leyte. A desriptive study was carried out to determine how the HEPRRP Plan was formulated,implemented with an allocated budget, and sustained thru monitoring and evaluation using key focused group discussion, key informant interviews, facilitated planning workshops, meetings, and drills. A descriptive HEPRRP technical working group attended planning workshops to develop a plan to improve the LGU surge capacity following a disaster utilizing the World Health Organization (WHO) health systems building blocks to ensure all aspects are considered. With the promotion of HEPRRP operationalization, overwhelming support was gained from the LGU leaders and other stakeholders. Operationalization of the plan involved a complete, available, and signed plan, revised and updated, integrated into the DRRM plan, and funded. Based on the testing of the plan which was done in one of the barangays, it was found that an operationalized HEPRR plan plays a significant role in the reduction of morbidity and mortality in terms of medical, psychosocial, nutrition, and WASH sectors following an emergency or a disaster. Furthermore, capacity building is a very important tool for the LGU leaders and RHU staff to sufficiently and properly prepare, respond, and build back better health system after a disaster. Monitoring and evaluation for the sustainability of this project shall be carried out in the local, provincial, and regional levels as committed by the stakeholders. Therefore, a well-crafted, implemented HEPRRP with an allocated budget continuously monitored and evaluated can effectively manage health impacts during emergencies and disaster in the municipality of Mayorga, Leyte.