Feature: Medical mission, a way of giving back to the community

By April Montes

Saturday 3rd of March 2012

DAGUPAN CITY, Mar. 3 (PIA) -- A medical mission dubbed “Operation Bigay Lunas, Libreng Gamutan” was held at the city Astrodome on March 1 sponsored by the city government through the City Health Office (CHO), in cooperation with the Mercury Group of Companies.

This project aims to provide free medical assistance to around 1,500 to 2,000 indigents who cannot afford to go to hospitals for diagnosis and cannot buy expensive medicines to cure their illnesses.

Roughly P1.2 million was allotted for branded medicines given to patients coming from the 31 barangays of this city and to walk-in folks who are likewise accommodated.

Aside from the medicines, both young and old availed of free consultation conducted by the CHO staff and volunteer medical practitioners.

For the last 13 years, the CHO recorded that 65 percent of the patients are children suffering from diseases such as respiratory tract infection, skin diseases and asthma, while adults get ill with hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, and other common sickness they experience as they grow old.

Dr. Leonard Carbonell, city health officer cited that it is the mandate of the CHO to serve their constituents. He affirmed that CHO continues to address health-related services focused on the preventive aspect. “Hindi na natin dapat hinihintay na magkasakit,” (We must not wait to be ill) he said.

This partnership with Mercury Group of Companies is a big help to realize CHO’s objective in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) to combat diseases. Good thing that Dagupan City is chosen as one of the mission sites in the country, he said.

Mercury Group of Companies celebrates its founding anniversary every March 1 and is now on its 67^th year. The medical mission is their way of giving back to the community for patronizing its products. (JCR/AMM-PIA 1 Pangasinan)