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Abra folk get medical services

BAGUIO CITY (July 22) — Residents from Barangay Tubtuba, Tubo, Abra were given medical and dental services on July 18 by doctors and dentists from CHESTCORE (Community Health Education Services and Training in the Cordillera Region) and COMMED (Community Medicine Foundation, Inc.).

Two hundred thirty four out of the 489 total population of Tubtuba benefited from the free medical consultation, dental services and medicines. One hundred twenty six were adults and 108 were children.

According to CHESTCORE Networking and Advocacy Staff Rachel Mariano, hypertension, anemia, gastritis and arthritis were the leading illnesses among the adult patients who were consulted. She added that there were also cases of goiter, back pains and tension headache.

CHESTCORE medical volunteers explained that the cases of hypertension and anemia could be traced to the sleepless nights and restlessness of residents during the 13-day military operations in their barangay.

Dr. Hari Hamoy of COMMED added that there were residents who reported getting easily frightened with loud sounds. He said this could also be caused by post traumatic stress syndrome, heart problems or too much coffee intake.

Tubtuba is one of the barangays in the tri-boundaries of the provinces of Abra, Mt. Province and Ilocos Sur severely affected by military operations last June 9 to 21. It is five kilometers away from the bombed area.

Jocelyn Velasco a medical graduate and volunteer of CHESTCORE added that upper respiratory infection, which includes cough and colds accompanied by fever, was the leading illness among children in the said barangay. She added that there were also cases of anemia among the children.

CHESTCORE dentist Rowena Pascual further said that the 50 residents (children and adults) who availed of the dental services all had tooth extraction.

The medical mission was a result of the fact finding mission (FFM) conducted earlier by members of the Montañosa Research and Development Center-Mt. Province (MRDC) and Bayan Muna-Mt. Province chapter in the said barangay.

The FFM team found out that Tubtuba residents’ access to health care services and facilities is very limited.

The FFM team report showed that the barangay is served by a midwife based in Dilong, an hour hike away from Tubtuba. Reports also indicated that there are seven community health workers in the barangay. The same reports mentioned that there are no facilities in the barangay health center.

According to residents, a doctor visits them once a year to conduct sanitation tests in the barangay. They added that when serious medical attention is needed they have to hike for eitght hours to the nearest hospital which is in Kin-iway.

Residents also avail of medical services at the hospital in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur but the area is only accessible during the dry months. The road network is cut intermittently by the Abra River, making it ipassable when the water level rises in the rainy season. # Kim Quitasol for NORDIS

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