People in urban communities can conveniently and confidently access medical services close to where they live, but for thousands of people living in rural communities especially the less fortunate, underprivileged, and marginalized, health care is many miles away.
Living only by herself, 87-year-old Dolores Coderis has been dealing with life’s tough challenges despite her age. No family member is looking after her since all her four children are also going through the same situation. She cannot even afford to buy her basic needs due to financial constraints.
“Tigtatawan na sana man po akong [pagkakan] kan mga kataning kong harong. Naheherak man po sako. Pigkakasya ko man po an pigtatao ninda sakuya. May mga aki man po ako, nagtitikapo man,” said teary-eyed Dolores.
When Dolores is still strong enough to make a living, she used to plant bananas and sell them to market to be able to buy her food sustenance. Not until she had high blood pressure which ceased her from working at the farm.
“Minsan, nalulula tabi ako. Kun ano nalang na bulong an iniinom ko arog kaito bagang herbal. Lakad-bulan, artamisa, kalunggay, bayawas, suwa, iyan an pigsaralak ko. Pag iniinom ko po yan, nararahay naman an pagmati ko. Mayo man kaya akong kwartang ibakal [bulong],” she shared.
Travelling to reach a health care provider may be costly and burdensome for patients living in remote areas. Hence, it was a big relief for Dolores that the Ka Fuerte Healthcare-on-the-Go Backpack Mission of the Provincial Government of Camarines Sur headed to their community. The coastal barangay of Patitinan in Sagñay, the farthest barangay and the one adjacent already to Tiwi, Albay, is where Dolores lives.
Upon hearing about the medical mission, Dolores knew that she will avail of the free medical services and free medicines from the program of Governor Miguel Luis “Migz” Villafuerte.
“Kan tig-checkup-an ako, nahiling ninda na maray man an lawas ko. Maogmahon po ako! Dakula kong pasalamat ta nakalibre ako sa bulong, nakalibre pa ako sa pagpacheck up, mayo akong binutasan na kwarta kaya maogmahon akong maray. Dakula kong pasalamat sa Kapitolyo ta gabos kami digdi nakalibre nin checkup,” said Dolores.
Another grateful beneficiary of the free medical services and medicines by the Ka Fuerte Healthcare-on-the-Go Backpack Mission is 59-year-old Mercy Dacuno. She has been experiencing painful knee, abnormal chest pain, and asthma. Sometimes, she even feels like she has a more serious condition, like heart disease.
Mercy goes straight to Tiwi to see her doctor and have her checkups, which would cost around P500, a much high amount for someone with meager earnings. She also has to go to Tabaco, Albay for her ECG.
But because of the Backpack Mission, she was able to save money and avail of the free medical services at the comfort of her home. Carrying various types of top-grade mobile medical equipment, the Backpack team performs free laboratory medical examinations such as X-ray, ECG, ultrasound, blood chemistry, urinalysis, and blood sugar test.
“Dakulaon na pasalamat ta nagkaararaman ko su mga huna-huna kong helang. Kumbaga marerelax naman an isip ko. Ngunyan po, nagpa-ECG ako, nagpa-blood sugar, nagpacheckup, may mga bulong na tinao sakuya, dai ko na po ini babarakalon, dai ko na babarayadan,” said Mercy.
According to Mercy, the money that she budgeted for her checkup and ECG is now allocated instead as additional savings for her family’s small business. Mercy is running a small food eatery along the road of Patitinan.
“Conveniente ining maray para sako asin sa pag-iriba ko. Maogmahon ta naabot kami digdi, tinuyo kami digdi. Dai na kami malakaw, dai na kami makisuksukan, dai na kami mamamasahe. Natawanan kaming atensiyon sa panahon ngunyan na kami nangangaipo,” she added.
The Provincial Government dispatches Backpack teams that regularly visit all districts of the province daily to provide medical services to those in need.
Just like Dolores and Mercy, 68-year-old Belen Briones longs for medical attention.
“Makulugon an tuhod ko, ining buol, ining piad, buda high blood talaga ako. Minalaga akong tubig kaiyan, kinakaag ko sa plastic, pigpainitan ko, nahahali man an mga kulog. Pigbubulong-bulong ko na sana ta mayo man akong centavo ngunyan,” narrated Belen.
Without budget to buy her own medicines, she just asks her neighbors for medicines for her high blood pressure when the pain becomes unbearable. “May nahahagad man ako kaiyan mga apat na bulong. Saru-saro pagkabanggi pig-iinom ko. Maray na kaiyan an pagturog ko,” detailed Belen.
Her last checkup was a long time ago. She never had the opportunity to continue her checkups again for monetary reasons. Hence, when she heard of the visit of the Ka Fuerte Healthcare-on-the-Go Backpack Mission happening near her house, she immediately went straight to the venue and patiently waited in line.
Belen is a living proof that medical attention is rarely given to those situated in far-flung areas. However, the visit of the Backpack team proved that she is never left behind.
“Sa gabos pong mga nakaaging panahon, ngunyan man sana po akong nakahiling na igwa man po digding nagchecheckup asin nagtatao pong bulong na libre sana po. Sabi ko ngani, kaito, mayo lamang kayan na libre, maray ngani ngunyan na igwa na po. Yaon po an bulong, yaon an checkup, maaaraman mo talaga an saimong mati. Naoogma an boot ko ta may nagdigdi man pong nagtaong bulong asin nakakua ako. Kaya nagpapasalamat po ako saindo na maray ta nagdirigdi kamo,” Belen said.
These are some of the real-life testaments from the people who benefitted from the Ka Fuerte Healthcare-on-the-Go Backpack Mission of the Provincial Government. Indeed, health care remains to be the province’s top priority program especially in this time of pandemic.
