DADITAMA offers medical services to Yolanda victims

By Athena Jillian Bravo
Member-dioceses of DADITAMA composted of Davao, Digos,Tagum and Mati recently conducted a medical mission in typhoon ravaged areas in Leyte.
The DADITAMA medical mission delegation comprised of priests, nuns and volunteer doctors and nurses extended medical services in the areas of Capoocan, Carigara and Mayorga, Leyte last January 19 to 25.
Archdiocese of Davao is headed by Fr. Leonardo Doblan together with priests, nuns, medical doctors and nurses in partnership with San Pedro Hospital, San Pedro College, Holy Cross College of Davao, Davao volunteers and social action workers. Diocese of Digos City headed by Fr. Allan Joy Nunez led the medical doctors and staff, medical representatives, volunteers and social action workers from the city.
Diocese of Tagum headed by Fr. Em-em Luego and Dra. Meldy Anuta led the medical staffs and volunteers of Tagum and Panabo City. Diocese of Mati headed by Sr. Melvin Manligoy, CSJ, Sr. Eva MaeTabugoc, CSJ is in partnership with the City Health Office of Mati led by Dr. Ben Hur Catbagan Jr., St. Camillus Hospital, medical doctors, priests, nuns, volunteers, social action workers and clergy personnels.
These 200 volunteers from DADITAMA travelled their way to Leyte for 12 hours through land and sea from Tagum via Butuan-Surigao transportation vehicles.
“Despite the bad weather and postponed trips, daditama still pursue our mission to leyte, niagi mi ug baha, giguyod ang mga sakyanan, naay mga truck na gipablik ug davao ky dili maagihan ang dalan kay sira2, nasiraan ug sakyanan Pero nidayon gihapon despite everything. Nasaag kay nagkabulag2 ang convoy gigamitan ug GPRS para makaabot sa lugar” DADITAMA disaster management ministry Mati chapter head, Sr. Melvin Manligoy said.
On their way to the area, they saved a life of a six month old pregnant women whose twin baby boys inside are already dead for two weeks because of fetal death in utero.
DADITAMA’s medical mission served almost four thousand people in Leyte from different municipalities where they were able to do medical consultations, medical services, relief operations, give free medicines and vitamins, do stress de-briefing and feed the children.
414 typhoon victims were served from Capoocan including 40 adults in the debriefing, 955 from Libo including the distribution of relief goods to 500 victims and de-briefing to 184 ages 15 and below, 379 victims from Bonifacio including 205 adults in the de-briefing and 379 victims were served in Mabini which includes the 170 adults and 79 children in the de-briefing. They also fed 603 children from these three barangays.
“It was fun, challenging, heart warming but heart breaking at the same time. Heart warming because despite what the sadness they felt they still managed to welcome us with their beautiful and hopeful smiles. Heart breaking on the other hand because we saw a mass grave in front of a church, damaged houses and properties of the victims,” Lordess Kristine Austria, medical nurse from City Health Office of Mati, said.
Most of the cases they encountered during the medical mission were hypertension and upper respiratory tract infection. This is the second time DADITAMA conducted a medical mission since after it rendered a similar medical mission during typhoon Pablo in Davao Oriental.
The City Health Office of Mati City also gave cash donation to the two barangays in Mayorga, Leyte.
DADITAMA volunteers were very thankful that they were able to achieve their goal by helping the victims of typhoon Yolanda.
“We achieved so much even in our simplest ways. Some of the victims cried because they were very thankful DADITAMA cam there to help them. But they do not know how much greatful we are to be there and serve them. It was indeed a very big achievement for our part,” Austria concluded.