Monday, February 19, 2007 Fil-Am doctors start outreach mission
SEVENTY-five Filipino medical practitioners in America arrived in Baguio early Sunday afternoon to reconnect to their roots through a five-day medical and surgical mission for indigent patients in the Baguio-Benguet area.
Work begins at 8 a.m. Monday for members of the Association of Philippine Physicians in America (Appa) headed by Dr. Alexander Fangonil, a urology specialist based in the Washington, D.C. area.
Fangonil is a son of the late Baguio vice mayor and judge Sinforoso Fangonil.
The medical team, which will conduct free consultation and dispense free medicines, will initially hold clinic at the Baguio Convention Center (BCC). They will move to the Green Valley Country Club (GVCC) on Tuesday for patients of Barangay Dontogan, shift to the Camp Aguinaldo Elementary School (CAES) on Wednesday, and to the Irisan Elementary School (IES) on Thursday before joining the surgical team on Friday.
The surgical team will be based for the five-day period at the Benguet General Hospital (BeGH) in La Trinidad town to handle minor and major surgical cases, said lawyer Moises Cating and former town mayor Edna Tabanda, the designated local coordinators.
Surgical procedures to be performed include excision of cysts, minor plastic surgery, circumcision, cataracts, harelip, thyroids, hernia, selective gallstone, fibroids, prolapse, bladder stone and others.
Cating explained that surgical operations have been arranged at the BeGH with hospital chief, Dr. Nicolas Gorod Jr., as the Baguio General Hospital (BGH) is already swamped with cases, given its status as the medical center north of Metro Manila.
Identification of cases is being coordinated with the city and provincial social welfare and development offices, health and barangay officials.
Initially in the mission were 38 doctors and 37 nurses and pharmacists, as per the list prepared by Appa and Dr. Paz Camdas, chairperson of the BeGH outreach and extension service committee.
The outreach project gives a humanitarian dimension to Baguio's ongoing Panagbenga Flower Festival, as Fangonil noted in his initial letters in November to acting Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. and Benguet Governor Borromeo Melchor.
"Based on the last five missions of Appa, we average an 800-1,200 medical cases daily and 100-120 major surgeries and an equal number of minor surgeries within five working days," Fangonil said.
The Appa, which Fangonil serves as president, is the umbrella organization of 19,000 Filipino-American physicians in America.
Representatives Mauricio Domogan of Baguio and Samuel Dangwa of Benguet will support the transport requirements while other requirements are being arranged with local officials and groups.
Aside from providing medicines and leaving behind medical gadgets, Appa will also shoulder the costs of x-rays and other laboratory procedures. (RD)
