The Regional Interagency Committee on Indigenous People’s (IP) Health (RIAC-IPH) recently conducted its activity dubbed as IP-GIDA (Indigenous Peoples in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Area) Medical and Dental Outreach and Immersion in barangays Dagohoy and Palma Gil in the IP town of Talaingod.
Led by the Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH CHD) XI, the activity brought together medical practitioners from the Davao Regional Medical Center, Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), the Davao del Norte Police Provincial Office (DNPPO), the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Department of Education.
Other participating agencies are the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) XI, Provincial Health Office (PHO) of Davao del Norte, Municipal Health Office (MHO) of Talaingod, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), Philippine Army, and Philippine Airforce, among others.
“This is interagency or whole of the nation approach. This is also related to the effort to ended local insurgency or the ELCAC (ending local communist armed conflict) to sustain what President Duterte started.” said Jinky Espino, DOH IP-GIDA regional coordinator.”
Espino explained that the medical and dental outreach in the two barangays of Talaingod is anchored on the mandate of DOH to make government health services accessible to all especially to residents of far-flung areas.
“Ito ang katotohan lalo na sa mga kapatid nating IP sa GIDA na hindi nila makakayanan magpunta sa mga health facilities na nanduon ang mga serbisyong lubos nila kinakailangan (This is the truth that our IP brethren in the GIDA can hardly afford to reach the health facilities where they can find the services they badly needed),” she said.
“Ang RIACIPH, gusto nito na tutulong sa gobyerno na mapa-aabot sa ating mga kapatid na IP na nandito ang gobyerno always willing tutulung (The RIAC-IHP wants to help the government tell that it is always willing to help),” Espino added.
The DOH RIAC-IPH team spent their first day on July 27 at the Barangay Center of Brgy Dagohoy, where hundreds availed of dental extraction, ophthalmology check up; pediatric, family medicine, and dermatology consultation and check-up; and minor surgery including child circumcision.
The team proceeded to Palma Gil the following day, July 28, hauling the same services with medicine.
In support to the medical and dental outreach, the Humanitarian Organization for Engagement (HOPE) Kababaihan lent a hand during the activity, as its members prepared meals for the working team while also encouraging women to do what they could to help.
In a separate interview, HOPE Kababaihan organizer Hope Mendoza shared her personal commitment to help residents in far-flung communities especially the IP communities.
“Whatever we can to our ‘ka-tribo’ (fellow tribe), not because they are minority pero sila man gud ang walay access sa medical attention (but they the ones who have no access to medical attention), we have to do it” she told PIA.
“Having this kind of activity sa mga ingon ani nga lugar, dako kaayo nga alibyo para sa ilaha especially nibaktas pa ug layo kaayo (in areas like this is a great relief for them especially that they have walked their way from far places),” she said.
Fondly called as “mamu,” Mendoza also called on all women to extend a helping hand to help others.
“You don’t have to be somebody powerful or rich to be able to extend help.. kung naa ta compassion and the passion to really help, everything is possible and with the help of the Lord,” she said. (Jean Duron-Abangan/ PIA Davao del Norte)
