Medical mission helps Philippines

MESA, Ariz. (Feb. 29, 2008) -- Medical schools in the Philippines are first-rate, producing expert physicians who go on to practice all over the world. Unfortunately, too few remain to provide adequate care to the local rural Philippine community.

That’s why medical missions make such a difference. Recently, Banner Desert Medical Center sent 12 representatives to the Philippines, offering two days of presentations on new procedures, drugs and care options for medical professionals and students entering the medical profession, as well as a clinical day in one of the poorest areas of the country.

Organized by Wendy Tee, NP, director of the Spirit of Women program at Banner Desert, the medical mission group included four Banner Health physicians: Dr. Robert Bloomberg, Dr. Jamal Mourad, and Dr. Jordan Perlow, from Banner Desert; and Dr, Barry Hendin from Banner Good Samaritan; four Banner Health volunteers/employees: Karen Pettit, RNFA, Marianne Schloemp, and Tee from Banner Desert and Barbara Standage from Banner Good Samaritan; as well as Kerri Bloomberg, RN,  Dr Amelia Chitrabamrung, Remedios Coronel, RN,  Juan Tee, Jr., and Melanie Valderama.

Sponsored by the Philippine Medical Association, the Philippine OBGYN Society, the Philippine Nurses Association and the country’s Department of Health, the trip was organized to provide the most benefit to the visiting health professionals and the Philippine medical community.

According to Banner Desert volunteer Marianne Schloemp, a member of the group, the conference and clinics were the talk of the town as soon as the Banner Desert group landed.

“The physicians, nurses and students were so eager for every bit of information,” said Schloemp. “The audience was eager to ask questions and talk one-on-one with the physicians to get more and more information.”

The conference, held for two days in Manila, was a huge success for the Banner Desert group. Not only did they provide information on innovative new options for surgery, care and medication, but they also talked about nursing in America and hospitals in America.

Because there was so much interest in each physician, the conference actually ran well past its organized ending time.

Even with only one day available for clinic, the group of 12 ~ expanded by many added Philippine professionals ~ was able to see thousands of people, providing pain medications, health screenings, circumcisions, and even tooth extractions for people who had very limited access to any kind of health care.

“Some of the people would have callous’ so hard it was very difficult to do the cholesterol screenings because we couldn’t get the needles through the callus’, and when we could, we could barely draw out a drop of blood,” said Schloemp.

“It was a real eye opener for me,” said Tee. “I am from the Philippines and I had no idea how bad health care was in the rural communities. I was born and raised in Manila so provincial life was not a regular experience for me. It is amazing how much education is needed in those rural communities for the health and wellness of the Filipino people.”

Tee hopes to continue to work with health care companies and friends, who this year donated approximately $3,500 toward the purchase of additional medications, as well as with Banner Health, which also donated time and medical necessities to the travelers. In fact, she hopes to expand the program for a trip next year to Thailand.

“While it was only three days of sharing knowledge and experience, the letters we received from the president of the Philippine Medical Association, as well as from the Governor and physicians who attended the symposium and who helped in the clinics show that missions like this are really needed and appreciated,” said Tee.

About Banner Desert Medical Center
Banner Desert Medical Center is a 549-bed nonprofit hospital, providing a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services for adults and children. Located in Mesa, Ariz, the hospital is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the state.