DAY 0 - THE ORIENTATION

PROJECT AI- ALFONSO IMMERSION TO COMMENCE IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS !!!

Today marks the orientation for our summer immersion program. We are tasked to take part in experiencing the programs under our designated RHU within the Cavite province.

We were given multiple objectives for this program, including the integration of complementary medicine — how culture affects the public's perception of health and treatment plans. Through the orientation, I was able to put a distinct picture of how an RHU works. It is diverse and is coupled with multiple programs needed by specific municipalities.

As our doctor in charge orients us in our duties and responsibilities during our time at Alfonso, I was able to meet with other second years who are assigned in the same municipality with me. They were able to help us in some areas that we are not aware of, such as transportation, preparing survey forms, and scheduling of tasks.

As I finish my orientation today, I realize the importance of respect, camaraderie, and cooperation among all workers for a robust health system. It's not just the doctors, but majority of the health unit is built with nurses, medtechs, pharmacists, midwives, and BHWs who are also equally important. As a future doctor ng bayan, I need to practice humility and build camaraderie among the people I work with.

ALFONSO RHU (C) Google Maps

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My Final Reflection for Alfonso RHU

The municipality of Alfonso, along with its Municipal Health Office, made a significant impact on my understanding of how the public health system works. As a resident of Silang, Cavite, I’ve experienced some benefits from my own RHU, but this immersion allowed me to see that each municipality functions differently, depending on its capacity and available budget. Through fieldwork in Alfonso, I gained deeper insight into the challenges, rewards, and day-to-day realities of public health workers. I rotated through various barangays, each with programs that differed depending on the day. At the start of each day, Dr. Elie, the Municipal Health Officer, gave us meaningful lectures on relevant health topics such as HIV, rabies, dengue, and tuberculosis. I was able to visit nine out of the 32 barangays in Alfonso. These visits included staying at barangay health stations to observe how nurses and midwives deliver healthcare services like immunization, consultations, and family planni...

Learning from the Ground: CAM, Culture, and Community Health

During our stay in Alfonso, we engaged with different individuals, health workers, and communities. It was a meaningful experience that allowed me to better understand varying perspectives on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). I also came to understand why many choose to use CAM. It’s all connected, people’s beliefs, their community dynamics, and their access to healthcare. One key realization was that health beliefs and behaviors are largely influenced by culture and tradition, often passed down from generation to generation. In Alfonso, many people rely on herbal medicine, especially in remote barangays where transportation is limited. Others resort to alternative practices because of financial limitations or time constraints due to work. A memorable experience during our survey was interviewing a respondent who regularly consults an albularyo (faith healer). He didn’t deny the importance of doctors, but he emphasized that using an albularyo was part of his family...

(D2) ZERO OPEN DEFECATION: DENGUE, INFORMATION DISSEMINATION, AND THE GENEROSITY OF ALFONSO RESIDENTS

Ma'am, paano niyo po tinatapon and dumi at diaper ni baby? That is the question I asked multiple times today. Medicine does not only involve the human body. It is highly influenced by multiple facets that contributes to the well-being of a person. Today, I learned the importance of a clean environment, health education, and social interaction for future Doktors ng Bayan. We started the day with a talk led by one of the health workers, Sir John Ren, about dengue. Doctor Elie also mentioned out of the hat facts about mosquitos that I never heard of, but she emphasized, is needed for future dengue surveillance. I did not know that a mosquito could fly up to 5 feet, nor they could travel a distance of 20 feet. It was a very informative experience for me. As we finished the dengue discussion, I volunteered to go with Ma'am Cynthia, Ma'am Telay, and Sir John Ren for monitoring Zero open defecation in three different Barangays. Doc Elie proudly mentioned that the municipality of...

SUMMER IMMERSION PROGRAM

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