Providing the medical needs of Pablo victims

IN A bid to provide the medical needs of thousands of residents affected by Typhoon Pablo, mining firm St. Augustine Gold and Copper Limited conducted a medical mission in Barangay Kilagding in Laak, Compostela Valley on January 19.

The mission, which was in partnership with the Philippine Mine Safety Environment Association (PMSEA) Pusong Minero-Kingking Copper Gold Paroject and supported by Malaysian paramedics and Land Rover Philippines, is part of the company's relentless efforts to assist the local government units to rehabilitate areas affected by the typhoon that hit the province on December 4.

It was conducted in coordination with the Provincial Health Office, the Risk Reduction Management Office, under the Office of the Governor, and the office of Laak Mayor Rey Navarro.

Navarro earlier identified two barangays -- Kilagding and San Antonio -- where Pablo victims are in need of medical support.

Medicines were distributed to the more than 2,000 residents of the mountain village of Kilagding. The team was supposed to visit Barangay San Antonio the following day but it was cancelled as the road leading to Laak was flooded due to two days of continuous rain.

They, however, vowed to distribute the needed medicines to the area anytime soon.

Based on the recommendation of the Municipal Health Office of Laak, the medical mission team brought hundreds of boxes of antibiotics, multivitamins, paracetamol, oral rehydration salt, among others.

The team was composed of 15 Malaysian paramedics, 8 PMSEA officers, 4 doctors, 14 health assistants or barangay health workers and 10 SASI staff.

Clyde Gillespie, SAGCL director for environmental permitting, said the choice of Laak was recommended by the Provincial Government of Compostela Valley.

"Even though we do not have (mining) activities here, that's where the need was that is why we chose Laak as the place to do the medical mission. We wanted to assist in areas that have the greatest need," Gillespie said.