Health Care at the Philippines - VPHCS

Summary

The video script introduces various medical professionals in the Philippines who are dedicated to community-based health programs. They focus on training community health workers, providing essential healthcare services, and promoting health education to prevent illnesses. The script highlights the importance of primary healthcare, the challenges faced by the urban poor, and the integration of homeopathy and indigenous healing practices alongside Western medicine. It emphasizes the need for more support and resources to sustain these vital health services for the underprivileged.

Takeaways

• 🎓 The speakers are various healthcare professionals from different backgrounds, including doctors, dentists, and community health workers, emphasizing diverse expertise in primary healthcare.
• 🏥 There is a focus on community-based health programs that are responsive to the needs of local communities, with an emphasis on training community health workers and providing health education.
• 📚 The importance of primary healthcare is highlighted, with a goal to make healthcare accessible, affordable, and scientifically sound for deprived and oppressed populations.
• 🛑 The script discusses the shift in approach from merely training to actively rendering healthcare services during outbreaks or when requested by community organizations.
• 🌿 There is an interest in integrating alternative medicine practices, such as homeopathy, alongside Western medicine to provide more affordable healthcare options.
• 🏘️ The healthcare services aim to work closely with communities, including squatters and the urban poor, to understand their needs and provide appropriate care.
• 🏫 Involvement of students in the healthcare program through integration programs, allowing them to apply their skills and knowledge in real-world situations to assist poor communities.
• 💊 The organization relies on donations and resource generation, such as soap making, to support their operations and continue providing services.
• 🌱 A historical perspective is provided, discussing the origins of community-based health programs in the Philippines and their evolution over time.
• 🏢 The construction of a training center is underway to improve facilities and sustainability, with a call for donations to enhance its functionality.
• 🤝 There is a call to action for healthcare professionals and others to contribute to the cause, emphasizing the need for education and community involvement in healthcare.

Q & A

Who is Lilia Hernandez and what is her educational background?

Lilia Hernandez is a medical professional who graduated in medicine from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines.

What is the role of Betty de Castro in the healthcare sector?

Betty de Castro is a dentist by profession and has been involved in primary health care for 32 years.

What is the significance of community-based health programs as described in the script?

Community-based health programs are significant as they focus on training community health workers, providing healthcare services during outbreaks, and educating people on disease prevention.

How does Visayas Primary Health Care Services (VPHCS) engage with communities?

VPHCS engages with communities by responding to requests from community organizations, training community health workers, and providing healthcare services during outbreaks.

What is the primary strategy of VPHCS to promote healthcare access?

The primary strategy of VPHCS is to promote primary healthcare through training, providing medical services, and raising awareness in the medical health sector.

What is the role of the health committee in community-based health programs?

The health committee in community-based health programs is responsible for recognizing the community's health needs and coordinating with organizations like VPHCS to train community health workers.

How does VPHCS approach the treatment of diseases like dengue?

VPHCS approaches the treatment of diseases like dengue by educating the community on prevention methods and providing healthcare services during outbreaks, including medical missions with volunteer doctors.

What is the significance of the student integration program mentioned in the script?

The student integration program is significant as it allows students to immerse themselves in community healthcare settings, applying their skills and knowledge to help underserved populations.

How does the script describe the evolution of community-based health programs in the Philippines?

The script describes the evolution of community-based health programs in the Philippines starting in 1973, founded by three nuns, with a focus on making healthcare accessible, affordable, and relevant through various initiatives including community clinics, training, and outreach.

What is the role of homeopathy in the healthcare services provided by VPHCS?

Homeopathy plays a role in the healthcare services provided by VPHCS as an alternative medicine approach, which is considered affordable and accessible, though it may require education to gain wider acceptance.

What challenges do healthcare workers face in serving poor communities according to the script?

Healthcare workers face challenges such as limited resources, the need for education on preventive healthcare, and the struggle to provide services that are both accessible and affordable to poor communities.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Introductions and Community Health Work

The video script begins with a series of introductions from various medical professionals, each with unique backgrounds and experiences in healthcare. They discuss their roles and contributions to primary health care, emphasizing the shift from traditional healthcare services to community-based programs. The Visayas Primary Health Care Services (VPHCS) is highlighted as an organization that now operates on community requests, training community health workers, and providing medical missions during outbreaks. The script also touches on the importance of making healthcare accessible and affordable for the underprivileged.

05:00

🌱 Primary Health Care Education and Outreach

This paragraph delves into the concept of primary health care, focusing on education and prevention rather than treatment. The speaker, a doctor, discusses the importance of keeping people healthy to prevent illness. The role of the student integration program is introduced, which helps students understand community needs and apply their skills to assist the poor. The history of community-based health programs in the Philippines is traced back to 1973, founded by three nuns with the goal of making healthcare accessible and affordable. The paragraph also mentions the various strategies used by these programs, including community clinics, training, and outreach to medical and nursing schools.

10:01

🌿 Integrating Indigenous and Homeopathic Practices

The speaker shares her personal journey and belief in the integration of indigenous healing practices, Western medicine, and homeopathy within the primary health care services. She expresses her respect for homeopathy, despite not fully understanding it, and highlights its affordability and accessibility. The paragraph also recounts a personal story of using homeopathy to help her sick father recover, which led to her father advocating for homeopathy in their community. The challenges of convincing people about homeopathy and the importance of education in healthcare are also discussed.

15:03

👨‍⚕️ The Role of Homeopathy in Healthcare

The script continues with a narrative about the influence of a homeopathic doctor on the speaker's approach to healthcare. It discusses the challenges of treating children and the future they face in a country with a significant portion of the population living in poverty. The speaker's aspiration to become a homeopathic doctor is mentioned, along with the support received from a mentor. The paragraph also touches on the importance of preventive healthcare and the need for education on nutrition and health in the community.

20:05

🏘️ Community Challenges and Healthcare Accessibility

This paragraph discusses the challenges faced by communities in the Philippines, including malnutrition, water scarcity, and living conditions in slums. It highlights the importance of education on nutrition and the need for community involvement in healthcare. The script also addresses the issue of resettlement and the impact on communities, as well as the government's role in addressing the needs of the poor. The speaker emphasizes the fulfillment derived from helping others and the importance of community support in healthcare.

25:20

🤝 Calling for Support and Education in Healthcare

The final paragraph is a call to action for healthcare professionals and individuals to support and serve in grassroots healthcare. It emphasizes the need for education on health and the importance of community involvement. The speaker shares her personal motivation for working in the community and the joy of seeing people manage their health. The paragraph concludes with a plea for support to sustain healthcare programs and services, especially for the urban poor, and the need for financial assistance to continue providing these essential services.

Keywords

💡Primary Health Care

Primary Health Care (PHC) is a key concept in the script, referring to the first point of contact with the health care system and the provision of basic health services. It is integral to the video's theme, emphasizing the importance of accessible and affordable health care for all. The script mentions Visayas Primary Health Care Services, which is an organization that trains community health workers and provides health services to communities in need, as an example of PHC in action.

💡Community Health Workers

Community Health Workers are individuals trained to provide basic health care and education within their communities. They are crucial to the script's narrative as they bridge the gap between professional health services and the community, often working in underserved areas. The script describes how these workers are trained by organizations like VPHCS to recognize health issues and educate community members on prevention and basic care.

💡Outreach

Outreach in the context of the script refers to the proactive efforts made by health organizations to extend their services to communities that may not have easy access to health care. It is a critical aspect of community-based health programs, as it involves going directly to where the need is, rather than waiting for people to come to health facilities. The script mentions outreach to medical and nursing schools, as well as to local physicians and politicians, to foster collaboration and support for community health initiatives.

💡Health Education

Health Education is a vital component discussed in the script, focusing on teaching individuals and communities how to maintain their health and prevent diseases. It is closely related to the theme of empowering communities to take charge of their own health. Examples from the script include educating people on the prevention of dengue and the importance of a nutritious diet, which are part of the health education provided by community health workers and organizations.

💡Medical Missions

Medical Missions are temporary medical services provided to communities in need, often in response to specific health crises or as part of regular health outreach. In the script, medical missions are depicted as a form of community service where volunteer doctors offer free health care, including diagnosis and treatment, to areas lacking access to regular medical services.

💡Homeopathy

Homeopathy is an alternative medical practice that uses highly diluted substances to stimulate the body's self-healing mechanisms. The script discusses homeopathy as an example of an alternative healing practice embraced by some in the community health care sector. It is presented as a cost-effective and accessible form of medicine, although it faces skepticism and requires education to gain wider acceptance.

💡Indigenous Healing Practices

Indigenous Healing Practices refer to traditional medical systems, knowledge, and practices developed by indigenous cultures. The script mentions that Visayas Primary Health Care Services incorporates both indigenous and Western healing practices, reflecting an integrative approach to health care that respects and utilizes the knowledge of local communities.

💡Resource Generation

Resource Generation in the script refers to activities undertaken by health organizations to create their own resources, such as producing and selling items like soap. This is part of the strategy to ensure the sustainability of community health programs by reducing reliance on external funding and creating income streams to support their operations.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability in the context of the script relates to the long-term viability and continuity of community health programs. It is tied to the theme of establishing robust systems and resources that can endure over time without constant external support. The script discusses the construction of a training center as part of efforts to ensure the sustainability of the organization and its programs.

💡Urban Poor

The Urban Poor are a significant focus in the script, referring to individuals living in urban areas who lack sufficient resources to meet their basic needs. The video emphasizes the importance of serving this demographic through community health programs, highlighting the challenges they face in accessing health care and the efforts made by organizations to provide support and services.

💡Volunteer Doctors

Volunteer Doctors are medical professionals who offer their services for free, often in underserved communities or during health crises. The script highlights the role of volunteer doctors in medical missions, where they donate their time and expertise to provide much-needed health care to those who may not otherwise have access to it.

Highlights

Lilia Hernandez graduated in medicine from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines.

Betty de Castro is a dentist with 32 years of experience in primary health care.

Dr. Aiding Posadas is a medical doctor from St. Mary Grace Taliban.

Community health workers are trained by Visayas Primary Health Care to serve their communities.

Dr. Rosalie Bahadur practices homeopathy and has been in health care for 30 years.

Blue Sky Yuan has been working in health care for 30 years.

Angela Miranda discusses the importance of community involvement in health care programs.

Community-based health programs have evolved to work with existing community organizations.

Health committees are formed within community groups to identify health care needs.

Visayas Primary Health Care Services trains community health workers and provides health care during outbreaks.

Volunteer doctors offer free services in areas with health outbreaks, supported by donated or purchased medications.

The goal of Visayas PHCs is to make health care accessible, affordable, and scientific for the deprived and oppressed.

Primary health care focuses on education to prevent illness and promote self-care.

Dr. Rosalie Bahadur emphasizes the importance of keeping people healthy rather than just treating the sick.

Homeopathy is introduced as an alternative, affordable, and accessible form of medicine.

The challenge of convincing communities about the effectiveness of homeopathy is discussed.

Personal stories of using homeopathy to improve health are shared, including a doctor's father's recovery.

The importance of a personal approach to health care and the integration of indigenous and Western healing practices.

The need for education on nutrition and preventative health measures in the Philippines.

The impact of community health programs on children and the importance of early detection and prevention.

The struggles of the urban poor and the need for support services, including health care.

The role of Surgeon General in financing health services for the needy.

A call to action for doctors, nurses, health students, and professionals to serve in community health.

The fulfillment derived from helping others and the joy of seeing improved health in the community.

Transcripts

I am Lilia Hernandez I graduated

medicine at the University of Santo

Tomas here in the Philippines

I'm Betty de Castro dentist by

profession I am with desires primary

health care for 32 years I am doctor

aiding the Posadas I'm a medical doctor

from st. Mary Grace Taliban I'm

community health worker trained by

Visayas primary health care I am dr.

Rosalie Bahadur I am a practicing

homeopathy hi I am blue sky yuan I've

been working for this I buy my health

care for since 30 years

my name is Angela Miranda from parcel

and first-rate clothes passive I'm Laura

dance studio I'm all fields on medical

assistance

I am grass lobbied on the administrative

officer here in Visayas primary house

I am Irish grace from us I am a nursing

science primary healthcare services

[Music]

[Music]

community-based health programs now is

very much different from what it used to

be now a group like VP ACS will not

enter a community unless a community

organization asked for them so it's

usually you have a farmers group you

have a fisherman's group have a youth

group many times it's a mother's

organization so there are already

organizations in the communities so now

every group will have what you call a

health committee and they if they

realize they need a community health

worker to be trained they were called V

PhDs to train them now the function of

community based health programs like the

Visayas primary health care services is

not only to train now but to render

health care and they render services

when like if there is an outbreak of

dengue in an area so they go into the

area if they are requested by the

people's organization they train

community health workers they give

lectures on how to treat them I should

not say lectures actually they educate

not so much the lecture but to educate

the people on the prevention of dengue

and I mean something like that so they

are requested for a called medical

mission if there is an outbreak let's

say of respiratory diseases they go in

there and they bring in doctors

volunteer doctors these are local

physicians who will come and volunteer

and render free service to that area

they of course bring medications either

they buy these medications or they get

donated we Envy PHCs always dream to

have health care to be accessible

affordable and scientific to those

people who are deprived

and oppressed meaning deprived of food

shelter because of poverty and the

access of medical services so our main

strategy is to promote primary health

care so our strategy is one to train the

people secondly we provide medical

services if the community is needing it

and the third one is we are giving an

awareness-raising for this medical

health sector so to help students so

that will be graduated they can be

sympathetic or they can provide free

services to this deprived communities we

are covering and the port one is you

have a resource generation like for

liking soap which is part of our

resource generation

[Music]

so that's what we call primary health

care so primary health care people know

what to do how to take care of

themselves how to keep themselves

healthy it's actually more of Education

primary health care that I'm really

concerned with that's why I'm a

different doctor I don't treat people

when they're sick but I keep people

healthy I don't want them to become sick

I am happy to serve people the poor

people like me my worry is how to teach

the herbal medicine and how to fool

people medicine to the community

[Music]

we also have the

student integration program witches I am

the wine help I am assisting the

students to go to the community

letting them see the real the real

situation I mean it comes to help here

in the Philippines in how their services

could their skills their knowledge can

help poor people the communities I met

with one of the founders of

community-based health programs in the

Philippines that was sister Mary crane

Oh community-based health program the

Philippines started in 1973 this was

founded by three nuns sister Mary green

Oh sister Eva ball and sister Saviour

and they got funding from Miss area in

Germany to start in three pilot areas

the main concept was to go to the people

learn from them adapt their practices

and make health care accessible

affordable relevant

[Music]

they have several prongs they have this

community clinic so-called medical

missions they have training of community

health workers they have outreach to

medical schools and nursing schools so

that they are able to those who are

interested be immersed in this kind of

health care approach they have outreach

to kadhi mia so they the local

physicians and specialists and even

politicians they join forces with them

they work with squatters those who have

no land I should not say for they work

with because always these people are

organized and they just kind of

[Music]

so for example in Cebu we are in a meter

puzzle and st. Mary's in Taliban and

then we are also in Tagbilaran

in ball so our communities are Trinidad

before our Resource Center in Berkeley

on where our training center is being

built built in supposedly for

sustainability of the organization

[Music]

we have a lot more to do with the center

to cater for the trainings of the

community health workers and for the

other groups to use it because we have a

modest facilities but we wanted it to be

improved so it can be more comfortable

for the users so we are accepting

donations grabs for the center to be

more functional

so at Olli we are reaching or writing

friends and networks come and see the

training center so they could see it

themselves and hopefully they would

donate some grass

[Music]

[Music]

I still believe that there is still more

room to be worked on as far as having a

more personal approach to health care

the besides primary health care services

now uses both indigenous healing

practices Western healing practices and

homeopathy so much of this I actually

learned from a homeopathic doctor that

VP ACS has befriended he's a homeopathy

and if you are a Western trained

physician homeopathy is another

revolution of the mind to accept but one

thing I have gotten there are many

things in life that you cannot

understand you concentrate the dose in a

small pill it seems impossible if you

have a Western set mind but if you think

about metaphysics and quantum theology

and all that so homeopathy my approach

to it right now is I believe it I

respect it

although I don't understand it I really

do

and so and I think if we can have more

people believing in it convincing people

that there is an alternative medicine I

think health care will be much more

affordable

[Music]

homeopathy is very very cheap very

accessible but I did not sell it because

Norbert

always tells me we do not sell we only

give it because that is what the poor

needs

I have to take care of my sick father

because I've felt so sad me being a

doctor and I cannot take care of my own

father so I went home took care of my

father but he was given this

conventional medicine my father doesn't

believe in homeopathy so with all the

illnesses that he has I gave him the

conventional medicines which he wanted

and only alleviated the condition so one

day he said okay I surrender I will try

homeopathy indeed I gave him homeopathy

and it took some time not right away

because it's not like the conventional

medicine which the effect you would see

the day after but this one took about

say a week before he started to feel

that he is getting a bit better and then

kept taking it better and better until

my father went back to his old self his

healthy self with homeopathy that's why

he is he was advertising homeopathy that

time but nobody understands homeopathy

they do not believe that but if we say

it's some kind of homeopathy is some

kind of magic medicine in the

Philippines they can relate it's not

easy to convince those people in the

community that it really works that's

why we are very thankful for norburg to

be here and to teach us he has gone so

far and I have to learn a lot from him

and I know that even after several years

I still will not be able to absorb what

he has in his brain

she's clear

only then is the approach to to

these people you know belong to the 85%

of poor so formally I I had a difficult

time to heal children the question for

me what what kind of future do I heal

this children and youngsters considering

that eighty percent of this population

is under 25 years of age it's amazing

but with the time I restrict myself to

my professional ability I just care

about them

[Music]

[Music]

I want to be a doctor and I am hoping

that I will be or I have a courage to be

a homeopathic doctor someday and if I

will be doctor nervy Anders said to me

that I will be the first doctor of

homeopathy and the Philippines I will

graduate with a working student and I am

also given scholarship by dr. nur be

Anders so from now I am going for also

medical mission psycho psycho social

events and circumcisions

[Music]

[Music]

in the Philippines like many poor

nations you only see a doctor if you are

dying or dead many Filipinos still die

without having seen a physician and so

what I have brought to them was my

practice I'm a pediatrician in the

United States where you try to see them

before they're sick we have had several

cases when we did these physicals and we

found out that the children have heart

murmurs that they did not know and so we

have picked up some and kidney

infections in this world check physicals

and so that's where I think we should be

going in more when they go to training

at two weeks at the time who browsed the

field who reaps there prior there

produce the community didn't surf this

time offer this farmers plant our farm

was to be planted all the farmers would

go there to plant this field while we

were in training by primary health care

we see that we have to educate the

communities on the preventative aspects

of health so we have if there is problem

on attrition we have to teach them

everyone should be treated ever if you

are poor and in the middle strata of the

society what is the nutritious food

Filipinos think that you should buy

multivitamins rather than buy food buy

ma this nutritious drink which you only

pee out anyway because they're all in

vitamins that you can get in food we

don't even want to cook anymore thirty

percent of Filipinos are stunted that

means chronic malnutrition that has

prevented them from growing the drinking

there's a actively there is supply we

called it metropolitan super water

district when in

also everybody who gets water will be

for the main caretaker of the faucet

like for example in puzzle we have a

common al so there is one pipe and

members of that particular city or the

maintenance and payment of that project

but before they have to carry on outside

just to get water like in parcel you can

see in one shanties there are three

three families because that's the sister

or that's the brother of the mother and

the children so they are compressed in

no incentives they share with one or two

restaurants who is being used by other

community residents there are tricycle

drivers also just to augment a as income

for the food of the family family of six

family of ten whatever so that's hard

life is in community slums they are

saying that they can pay some rent in

the maker and then installment basis

because the government has a plan for

development on that particular site the

government is trying to resettle him but

no resettlement area is being offered

yet and the people usually doesn't like

the resettlement because they will be

away from the source of income which is

the carbon market so the the they tend

to say that the Philippines is already

very rich and mining that behind those

high building the poor people the

squatters have been demolished just to

papery for a certain activity of the

government because they want to protect

a very highly economic boom country

undermining what are the needs of most

of the majority the 70% of the poor

people who are behind those high

buildings

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

my fulfillment with my work is just

being happy because when we can help

other people and seeing their happy

faces

it seems that we will be you are also

lying down happily on the night after

the work in heaven simple thank you can

always energize even if were very tired

when we go to the communities and I

inspired to work for the Visayas by my

health care to help the poor people and

the health is my house one of one reason

why I'm seeing her for 30 years is to

help poor people know in the urban poor

communities the person's official faults

the basics actors because we see that

these persons are very poor depressed

and need support services health

services from us after I graduated they

were in the hospital but I choose to

work in the community because I saw the

need I saw that I will be more effective

and I can help more in the communities

it's the joy that seeing them seeing

them do their the manage themselves in

sickness in their illness I think that

they still need a lot of support for

this because they do not earn much as a

physician as a as a nurse they don't

earn much but they do need to live they

have families they do they have

they have some of them still go to

school to increase their knowledge like

master's degree this could help us for

our programs and services to sustain our

programs and services although as you

see it's still under construction so we

still need some more than the nation's

you can make so this can be the

amenities can compete to the other I'm

calling on doctors nurses health

students all professionals and all well

many people to come here to the BIOS to

come here and serve and give your time

to the various made the problem really

is education people need to be educated

need to be taught or it needs to be know

how to keep themselves healthy so we're

calling on all educated or just any

simple ordinary people who love to work

with poor people to come here to the

grassroots and serve people here one of

our program services is Surgeon General

finances because if there is no

penalties we cannot continue our health

services no towards the needy people

that's a big challenge for us fear we

really need help because besides firming

health care is an organization that will

help the people that will serve the

people and can heal the people

you