LET’S HAVE MORE MOBILE CLINICS

LET’S HAVE MORE MOBILE CLINICS My dear countrymen, as the saying goes, “If Mohammad cannot go to the mountain, then the mountain must come to Mohammad”. That logic seems to be applicable to the case of our fellow Filipinos who cannot go to the public hospitals, for one reason or another. That being the case, then it should be the public hospital that should go to our fellow Filipinos. That appears to be the reason why First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos started the “Lab for All” project. The project aims to provide accessible healthcare services, including medical checkups, diagnostics and free medications, to underserved communities in our country. To make that happen, the First Lady has mobilized several government agencies to support the project, including the Department of Health (DOH), the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and many other government agencies. The long-term goal of the project is to facilitate the donation of mobile vans equipped with x-ray machines, portable urine analyzers, glucose monitors, cholesterol testers, ultrasound and other machines to the different provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays. Aside from mobilizing the government agencies, the First Lady has also invited the participation of the private sector. According to their website, several companies have “already made an impact on various communities through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs”. In that connection, the project managers have asked the private companies to help them by “providing mobile vans, medical missions and gift packs directly to the LGUs where they will be visiting”. They also said that “by nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset and connecting innovators with industry experts and investors the project encourages the creation of real-world solutions”. Dr. Jim Sanchez, the founder of Hospital on Wheels (HOW), has also been bringing the “mountain to Mohammad” for so many years. In tribute to him, please allow be to repost his recent message: START QOUTE: {My life's journey has been like running a marathon. Becoming a doctor is the last mile of my race, a dream I’ve pursued with every ounce of my energy. I remember my father's advice: "Give your best in everything you do." His words have been my constant guide. And my mother’s compassion lives on in me. Once, after giving alms to a beggar, she said, "Always help the poor and the weak." Those simple but powerful words shaped my purpose. I don’t see myself as a hero—I just want to make a difference, however small, and be a good example to my children. Helping others, especially the underserved, is my way of honoring the values my parents instilled in me”}. END QUOTE In recognition of his achievements, the Association of Philippine Physicians in America (APPA) bestowed upon him the 2024 Humanitarian Service Award at their 52nd Annual Convention, held at the Marriott Hotel in Newark, New Jersey, from October 23-27, 2024. As I understand it, the APPA is one of the foreign organizations that has been supporting the HOW program all these years. Thank you for your service, Dr. Sanchez and Madame First Lady. Yours truly, IKE SENERES/11-15-24/visit my blog senseneres.blogspot.com