Baguio Charter anniversary medical mission targets 5,000

By Ramon Dacawi

Medical practitioners, civic and other sector volunteers are again priming up to serve an estimated over 5,000 residents availing of a joint medical-dental-optical mission set on August 31 at the Baguio Convention Center to usher in the 104th anniversary of the founding of this, the country’s summer capital.

As in last year’s edition of this humanitarian feature of the city’s charter day observance, the main beneficiaries of the  mission will be the poorest of the poor, according to city health officer, Dr. Florence Reyes, and city social welfare and development officer Betty Fangasan.

“This community effort is dedicated to those covered by the 4 Ps (Pantawid Pampamilyang Pilipino Program) of the government for the poverty-stricken families within our local government unit,” said Dr. John Tinoyan, the mission coordinator.

He said all the local chapters of Lions International have signed up for volunteer work in the preparations and actual conduct of the mission, together with all the city’s health personnel, those involved in emergency medicine such as the Baguio-Benguet Public Information Civic Action Group, Philhealth and the Red Cross.

Tinoyan added that Victory Liner, last year’s main sponsor, has committed P500,000 worth of medicines.

The local chapters of Rotary International, last year’s mission backbone with the Lions, begged off this time to concentrate on their annual medical service outreach in support of the Baguio Flower Festival in February. 

Curative medical services will be conducted inside the convention center while preventive services such as maternal and child care and healthy lifestyle will be through booths being set up around the center.

A special feature this year will be simultaneous breast-feeding by some 200 lactating mothers,

This is in keeping with a directive by mayor Mauricio Domogan for health workers to always  accent on the medical fact that no infant formula can approximate the nourishment and immunity from diseases babies derive from breast milk.

In last year's mission, 3,000 residents took the queue for medical check- up, 1,000 for tooth extraction and dental care and another thousand for optical service.

To ease the flow of people availing of the services of the upcoming mission, a medicine distribution area will be set up for those needing maintenance dosage without having to undergo consultation, Tinoyan said.