PCS-Panay and PCS S.U.R.E. were in Boracay!

By. Dr. Esteban Wilfredo Sombong, FPCS and Dr. Noel G. Binayas, FPCS

Fellows of the PCS Panay Chapter based in Iloilo City, headed by its President, Dr. Noel G. Binayas, together with the PCS S.U.R.E., and the trainers of the Philippine National Red Cross went to Boracay Island, Malay Aldan last June 3-5, 2005 for a Surgical Mission and a Training Seminar for Community Lay Rescuers.

Welcome dinner and program. The Boracay Surgical Mission composed of Surgical Fellows and Training residents of the PCS Panay Chapter from Iloilo, a team of the PCS SURE from Manila, and a training team from the Iloilo and Akian Red Cross with the hosts, the Don Ciriaco S.Tirol Hospital Foundation and the Boracay Disaster Coordinating Council. Seated from left: Dr. Noel Binayas (PCS-Panay President), Malay town Councilor (Mayor’s Representative), Mr. “Boy” and Mrs. “Tita Ruth’9 Jarantilla (the gracious Hosts, the Don Ciriaco S. Tirol Foundation), Hon. Congressman Joven Miraflores (Representative of Lone Congressional District of Akian), Dr. Luisa Aquino (Speaker and President, PSST), Mrs. Bebot Gadon (Boracay NDCC Coordinator), and Dr. Beda Espineda (PCS-Sure Chairman).

As planned, the outreach activity was largely in response to the request of the community leaders in Boracay for regular visits by surgical teams to the hospital to make full use of equipment donated to the hospital foundation which remains largely under­utilized. Simultaneously, the continuing lack of adequate training of lay responders and rescuers in trauma situations were presented to PCS Panay. Forthwith, in coordination with the PCS-SURE team in Manila, a combination of PCS-Panay Fellows and a Basic Life Support training team from the PNRC was convened by the PCS-Panay Chapter to address the needs identified by the Boracay residents themselves. Thus, the twin components of the pioneering mission were joined. The Surgical outreach program was coordinated by Dr. Gaudencio Franco, while the Training Sessions for Lay Rescuers was coordinated by Dr. Esteban Wilfredo Sombong. Both are active fellows of PCS Panay in Iloilo City.

The outreach activity was also conducted in cooperation with the PCS Committee on Outreach Services and SU.R.E. Team from Manila headed by its Chairman-Dr. Beda R. Espineda. Other members of the team were Dr. Paz M. Espineda, Dr. Ma. Luisa D. Aquino, Dr. Marichu Battad and Dr. Leonardo Cua.

Dinner on June 3, 2005 at SeaWind Resort was followed by the Opening Ceremonies. A lecture by Dr. Ma. Luisa D. Aquino, the PSST President, on "Disaster Preparedness":

Contingency Planning for the LGU's, and the Memorandum Of Agreement between the NDCC's, PCS and PSST, gave everyone a general perspective of the importance of the roles of each of the participating agencies in a well-coordinated disaster preparedness and response in the community,

Congressman Joven Miraflores of Aklan gave an inspirational message. The Congressman reiterated the still largely-unaddressed need to come-up with a rationalized, island-wide capability to respond to trauma and disaster situations in Boracay. With the active linking among the concerned groups, particularly the Boracay Disaster Coordinating Council, the PNP-Army-Coast Guard and Auxiliary elements with the training teams of the Philippine College of Surgeons and the PNRC, this Mission was certainly in the right direction. He congratulated the PCS, the organizers and the Boracay coordinators for the initiatives. The session was closed by Mrs. Ruth Jarantilla, Chair of Don Ciriaco S. Tirol Hospital Foundation.

Of the 40 initial registrants in the two-day Training Seminar for Lay Rescuers, attended by some resort personnel, the local Army, PNP, Coast Guard and auxiliary elements, 33 were able to finish the intensive 2-day, hands-on course on BLS and Transport of the Injured. The sessions were supplemented by basic lectures on the ABC's of resuscitation by Dr. Wilfredo Sombong, and musculo-skeletal injuries by Dr. Henry Tupas, both PCS-Panay fellows. Twenty-seven were certified by the Red Cross Trainers as CPR providers. At the end of the sessions, a commitment to follow-up the training sessions in the future was pledged by PCS-Panay, whilst a pledge to continue to leam, improve and coordinate with the local teams was expressed by the training participants.

The operations were performed by the Surgical team at the Don Ciriaco S. Tirol Municipal Hospital. Headed by Dr. Franco and Dr. Espineda, with Drs. Lui Aquino and Marichu Battad of the SURE team, the other PCS Fellows from Iloilo were Drs. Michael Martinez, Eric Montero, Nemesio Granada, Cristine Aguirre and Aimee Ancheta. The Kalibo-based fellows - Drs. Edmar Balleras with Dr.Romeo Abayon and Segundo Anayan were on hand to assist the Hospital Chief, Dr. Ilarina. The training residents who participated were, Drs. Nanette Pabilona, Grace Majaducon, Arlan Tabiling, Paul Catedral and Rolando Miranda

Forty-six minor operations were completed as well as a hemiorraphy. Two other cases were referred to Kalibo (a ranula) and Iloilo (an Imperforate anus) for further work-up and management. Surgical and Pediatric consultations were conducted throughout the 2-day mission with the very accommodating and efficient collaboration of the members of the hospital staff. The excess vials of measles vaccine brought by Dra. Espineda were donated to the hospital for future use.

This pacesetting outreach project was made possible thru the hospitality and generosity of Mrs. Tita Ruth Jarantilla, Mrs. Bebot Gadon of the Boracay Disaster Coordinating Council, Mrs. Judith Ecotamin of the Department ofTourism-Boracay, the people of Boracay and Westmont. The PCS Point man in Boracay was Dr. Gaudencio Franco, a PCS-Panay fellow and adopted son of the Mission host, Tita Ruth.