Medical Electives

Good day! I have read the article and request of Mr. David Worley regarding his interest on spending his medical elective here in the Philippines and he mentioned that he made some contacts here in Cebu. I would just like to know if he has contacted Cebu Institute of Medicine already. If not yet, I hope you wouldn't mind if I also make a suggestion.

The Cebu Institute of Medicine- Community Medico-Social Services (CIM-CMSS) have been accepting international rotators for their medical electives since 2006. Depending on the length of time of their rotation, we schedule different itineraries for them. We ask them to rotate with our medical interns (senior clerks) in Paknaan, a poor urban community within the industrial belt of Mandaue City where they get to handle first-hand patients in the community and experience running a primary care hospital located within the community.

We can also facilitate for them a rotation at Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), a provincial hospital and may be asked to rotate with the medical interns at at the emergency room or at the wards depending on their interests. They may also be ask to do or assist some procedures there. Also, we can facilitate their rotation in neighboring provinces like Bohol, Leyte, etc. if they want to. In fact, last July-August 2008 the department facilitated the rotation of 3 students from the school of Medicine at University College Dublin and this year by around September, we are also expecting some medical students from France.

This elective will allow these international rotators the flexibility they needed to spend time in various hospitals (be it primary, secondary or tertiary hospital) and the community experience they needed. Another advantage is that they would be guided and facilitated by the resident-in-charge of the Community and Preventive Medicine rotation. If Mr. Worley is interested please let him contact:

Thelma La Rosa-Fernandez, M.D.,MPH,FPAFP

Dean

Cebu Institute of Medicine

F. Ramos Street, Cebu City

e-mail her at tootsiemd@yahoo.comI hope this can be of help.

Contributor:

Annely Jane R. Celocia, M.D.

Resident Physician

Cebu Velez General Hospital- Dept. of Family & Community Medicine

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Medical Elective

This is in answer to the question of David Worley.

I am a final year medical student from Nottingham University in England and would very much like to come to do part of my elective with a mission medical centre in a remote part of Philippines. I have already contacted Cebu hopital to do some work in an urban centre, but ask if you could please give me some contacts of (mission)organisations/hospitals that I could contact regarding the more 'out of the way' and community based work.

The dates of my elective are approximately 7th April - 19th May 2010 (6 weeks), after my finals are over.Many thanks for your help.

Doing a medical elective in the Philippines will be a learning and challenging experience for foreign volunteers. It will give you an overview of the health system in the Philippines and a first hand experience of infectious diseases in the tropical region such as dengue, malaria and tuberculosis, and other debilitating chronic diseases which are left untreated out of financial constraints. From experience here are two of the great organizations which offer community based health programs in the Philippines, particularly to foreign volunteers:

Community Medicine Foundation, Inc -

Location: Head office at Taft Avenue, Manila City

Email Address: commedf@yahoo.com

Contact No.: (63)(02) 5670394

Mobile Phone No.: 639099203152 ( Look for Dr. Julie)

Community Medicine and Development Foundation, Inc. is a nongovernment organization of health professionals who are actively supporting Community-Based Health Program in the Philippines. It provides assistance to medically-deprived areas in the Philippines by sending health personnel and empowering the community. It has developed modules and programs in community health programs. It also has a curriculum for foreign students who which to volunteer in the Philippines (Finland and Netherland).

Agape Rural Health Program

Location: Head Office in Palawan, Philippines

Email Address: karispalawan@yahoo.com

Mobile Phone No.: 639062343749 (Look for Dr. Ding)

Founded in 1986 in the Philippines, the Agape Rural Health Program serves the poor and the needy. Since 1986, hundreds of volunteers, including doctors, psychologists, and other professionals, have been trained on the principles of community health development. Their efforts to reduce the effects of malaria in the Philippines have won Agape numerous international awards.

For the past three years, Agape Rural Health Program and Global Hope Network have cooperated to help the peoples of Indonesia, China, and Sudan. In Sudan, Agape provided crucial assistance and personnel. Many Global Hope Network employees have attended seminars by Dr. Ding of Agape Rural Health Program, and have used that training in their work to help others.

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Influenza A H1N1 in the Philippines

Ang kompirmadong may H1N1 influenza A ay ang taong nagpositibo sa H1N1 influenzaA virus sa pamamagitan ng Polymerase Chain Reaction o pagpapadami ng virus sa laboratory hanggang ito ay matukoy na H1N1.

May suspetsa lamang kung ang tao ay may lagnat, sipon, ubo, pangangati ng lalamunan at kompirmadong pakikisalamuha sa may sakit ng H1N1 influenza A.

Mga High risk groups o possibleng madaling mahawaan ng A H1N1 virus at possibleng magkaroon ng komplikasyon:

• Bata limang (5) taong gulang pababa

• Matanda Sixty-five (65) taong gulang pataas

• Nineteen-years (19) taong gulang pababa na umiinom ng aspirin

at mga pasyente na may matagal ng sakit o chronic disease gaya ng hika, copd, sakit sa puso, kanser, diabetes, sakit sa dugo at malnourished na bata.

Paano nakakahawa: nakukuha ito sa pagkakaroon ng contact sa respiratory droplets o bodily fluids mula sa may sakit gaya ng kissing, embracing, paglanghap ng bahing, paghawak sa droplet papunta sa bibig o ilong, at parehong paggamit ng kubyertos. Hindi kasama dito ang paglakad o pag-upo ng malapit sa may sakit.

Isolation o social distancing — Ang self isolation ay ang pagkukulong sa kuwarto na nakasarado ang pintuan kung nakaramdam ng sintomas. Gagawin ito sa pitong araw o 24hrs mula nang nawala ang mga sintomas ng sakit. Kung kailangan umalis, magsuot ng face mask or N95 Respirator. Panatilihin din ang wastong paghugas ng kamay.

Face masks and respirators — Ang paggamit ng face mask o N95 respirator ay hindi kinakailangan kung hindi naman high risk. Gagamitin lamang ito sa mga mataong lugar o
may close contact sa mga mataong lugar na may possibleng H1N1 infection. Hanggat
maaari ay lumayo ng >6 feet mula sa may sakit. Kung hindi maiwasan, kailangan magsuot ng face mask or N95 respirator.

Bakuna: Ayun sa pagsusuri, maaaring meron o walang cross-protection ang ibang flu vaccine laban sa H1N1 Influenza A.

Sources:World Health Organization at Center for Disease Control, 2009

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