Hawaii medical aid mission coming to PH towns

Ohana Medical Missions health providers treating patients during a previous sortie in Davao.

SAN FRANCISCO—Hawaii-based Ohana Medical Missions (OMM) is making final preparations to return to the Philippines for another round of humanitarian work.

More than 20 doctors, nurses, surgeons, pharmacists, and other volunteers from Hawaii, California and Maryland will be offering free medical consultation, diabetes, blood sugar and blood pressure screenings, psychiatry diagnosis and treatment and minor surgical procedures, according a report by Hawaii Filipino Chronicle.

They will be assisted by 12 doctors, six dentists, two ophthalmologists and one nurse from the Philippines. Volunteers will visit indigent communities in Payatas in Quezon City, Batangas City,  Cabugao in Ilocos Sur from December 12-18, to provide medical assistance.

A small contingent of volunteers will also go on medical missions to smaller Ilocos Sur towns such as Bantay, San Ildefonso, Santa Catalina, Caoayan and San Vicente. Additionally, a team of Ilocos Surian local physicians will serve the Ilocos Sur towns of Santiago and Santa.

OMM volunteers have prepared gift bags containing rice, sardines, noodles and useful personal items such as socks and slippers. These bags will be distributed to the indigent and most needy families—just in time for Christmas.

On average, OMM has treated between 8,000 to 12,000 patients during its previous medical mission trips. The most common medical issues in children are malnutrition, parasitism, respiratory tract infections, dermatosis, primary complex and other gastrointestinal ailments.

For adults, common health problems include hypertension, arthritis, gastrointestinal (GI) complaints, cold/asthma, dermatitis, migraine, diabetes and arthritis.

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