Medical missions are transformative. To the patients – many who are desperate to seek medical care but either do not have access or cannot afford it – they are gifted with free medical treatment that often changes their physical bodies to carry on daily activities with less pain or discomfort. To volunteers, we commonly hear that their experiences have changed them, and the euphoria felt, tears and smiles of gratitude from the patients they’ve helped are forever kept in their memory banks.
Medical missions reflect the best of humanity, of volunteers pouring one’s talent, energy and hard work to uplift the lives of people who are in most cases complete strangers. These acts of charity epitomize selflessness. In many ways, a volunteer is the embodiment of a prayer. Volunteers – perhaps guided by the grace of God — rise to the urgency of answering the prayers of the poor for better health. Their charitable acts are the goodness that Jesus spoke about in Matthew 19:19 to “love your neighbor as yourself.”
Medical missions– the need for them – also reflect poorly on humanity, of a medical infrastructure inadequately funded and a community ignored because there’s little profit to be made from providing healthcare to the poor. That lack of onus by a government that’s not prioritizing healthcare to the degree it must change.
Philippine government healthcare efforts
However painstakingly slow to respond to the critical health needs of Filipinos in what’s called geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), the Philippine government is taking steps to bridge healthcare gaps in these poor and underserved communities.
The Philippines Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teddy Herbosa mentions several initiatives they are working on to improve healthcare disparities:
- Doctor to the Barrios (DTTB) Program aims to deploy medical practitioners to all municipalities, particularly in GIDAs, where healthcare professionals are scarce. The DOH is actively recruiting and compensating doctors to ensure comprehensive healthcare coverage nationwide. The program stresses the importance of community engagement and preventive healthcare measures.
- Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service (BUCAS) is an initiative focused on establishing new healthcare facilities in underserved areas, particularly urgent care and ambulatory services. Expanded infrastructure aims to improve accessibility in GIDAs and remote communities.
- PhilHealth Benefit Packages Enhancement aims to enhance benefit packages offered by PhilHealth (the national health insurance program) by increasing coverage and benefits. The DOH aims to alleviate the financial burdens associated with healthcare expenses, especially to those from marginalized communities to access quality healthcare services without financial hardship.
The success of all three initiatives will largely depend on proper funding that healthcare advocates say would only be possible to make realistic improvements if the government allocates at least 10% to public health and more private healthcare investments are brought in to assist.
Ohana Medical Mission, Inc
While public and private efforts work to build-up healthcare infrastructure in the Philippines, the Hawaii-based Ohana Medical Mission, Inc. (OMM) has been providing invaluable work to fill some of the medical gap in depressed areas throughout the Philippines.
Since 2009, OMM has made 21 missions to the Philippines, helped tens of thousands of patients providing medical, surgical, optical, dental and humanitarian services. It has also donated hundreds of thousands worth of medical supplies and medicines.
OMM (missionary arm of the Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii) is truly a God-send project worth supporting.
OMM 2nd Charity Ball
The community will have this opportunity to support OMM and have fun in the process by attending their 2024 Charity Masquerade Ball/Fundraiser to take place on October 26 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
We encourage our Filipino medical professionals and community at-large to rally in support of making the Charity Ball a success. OMM organizers say their annual Charity Ball is the major fundraising project that keeps OMM in operation and that the amount of money raised determines how frequently they’re able to go on medical missions, which is typically twice a year.
Proceeds of the event will help to fund the two OMM missions slated for 2025, the first one on February 1-9, the second one in July-August.
If you’re not able to attend, OMM accepts donations all year round. Any amount helps to sustain their missions, OMM organizers say.
Lastly, we’d like to extend a big mahalo to Ian Guerrero, M.D., President of the OMM and his entire staff, the OMM sponsors and donors. And to the mission volunteers, without your compassion and commitment to help our kababyans in the Philippines, none of this would be possible. Some of these volunteers, who pay their own way on these trips, have made several missions with OMM. In the spirit of bayanihan, our Filipino cultural value of unity, cooperation and selfless service to our neighbors, let’s keep on sharing our love and talents to our brethren in the Philippines. Mabuhay to OMM!
The current list of sponsors of the Masquerade Charity Ball include Hawaii Filipino Healthcare, PMAH, Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls, Hawaii Filipino Chronicle, Hawaii Diagnostic Radiology Services (HDRS), Hawaii Medical Association McMann Eye Institute, Freedom Equity Group, Family Pharmacy, Waipahu Therapy Center, Movement Plus, East West Center, William and Herminia Gaspar and Iloreta Siblings, and Sorbella Guillermo MD.
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