Saturday, September 23, 2006 UP health mission benefits Ykalingas
ABOUT 600 individuals from the different towns of Kalinga gained from the recent three-day free dental and medical mission conducted by volunteers from the Office of Pahinungod and Continuing Education of the University of the Philippines (UP)-Manila.
A report of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) and the Kalinga Provincial Hospital (KPH) listed 319 individuals underwent dental extraction, 32 were accommodated for general surgery operations, 12 had plastic surgery, nine benefited from gynecology operations, while one availed of free operation due to a gunshot wound and one patient underwent breast mass removal.
Twenty patients were provided eye operation services while 179 others availed of free eye consultation and 30 more were provided free medical consultation during the activity. 46 inpatients, who just had their operations, were confined at the provincial hospital for proper monitoring.
KPH administrative officer Raymond Palicas said 36 volunteers, headed by Health Mission Program (HMP) chairman Michael Angelo Alvarez, came in the province to provide free medical assistance to unprivileged Ykalingas. The volunteers were composed of general surgeons, plastic surgeons, ophthalmologists, obstetricians, internists, anesthesiologists, dentists and other support staff.
Aside from the dental and surgical-medical services, the group also conducted a two-day training on basic life support that was attended by 120 participants composed of Krems members, municipal health officers and chiefs of hospitals.
Palicas said the activities were made possible through the sponsorship of the provincial and municipal governments in coordination with UP Pahinungod.
The UP Pahinungod is a volunteer service of UP Manila conceived as its moral and social expression in nation building through the conduct of outreach programs like health missions in partnership with the recipient local government units (LGUs).
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