Jagna once again is a beneficiary of good deeds of a San Francisco, USA based non government organization this week.
From June 6 until June 9, Philos Health conducted medical clinics in selected barangays of the town. The recipient barangays this time were Bunga Mar, Canjulao and Balili.
Medical Clinic conducted at barangay Canjulao.
On its 7th year of partnership with the Local Government of Jagna, Philos Health on its visit now is conducting the first surgical mission to pre selected patients with myoma. The operation was conducted at the Teodoro B. Galagar District Hospital to 9 patients with myoma and one ceasarian section delivery. Doctors specializing in surgery coming from the US facilitated the operations.
Mr. Forrest Malakoff, chairman of the NGO, said that they keep on coming back to Jagna because they want to help uplift the lives of the people especially in health care. He added that the people are hospitable and very cooperative in their mission which more than prompted them to come back again and again thrice a year.
Aside from the medical and surgical mission, Mr. Malakoff is here to monitor the progress of the supplemental feeding program for children.
The manna feeding program was conceptualized because of the observation of the team during their visits of the prevalence of malnutrition in the town’s barangays. Philos Health supplemented the survey conducted by the Municipal Nutrition Council with their own on the problem of malnutrition. A discussion between Mayor Fortunato Abrenilla, Vice Mayor Exuperio Lloren and Mr. Forrest Malakoff resulted in the food supplement program.
In the picture is Mr. Forrest Malakoff with student volunteers of Philos Health, some LGU employees and members of the nutrition evaluation team from the Provincial Health Office at the Municipal Nutrition Council Office. Mr. Malakoff is explaining to the evaluating team their mission in Jagna as well as information on the supplemental feeding program.
Manna pack, the food supplement, is specifically made for children with malnutrition problems. It is loaded with vitamins and minerals that will provide the nutrients needed for good nutrition.
The food supplement program started in the last week of March to 11 pilot barangays. Now it has expanded its scope to include the remaining 22 barangays. Target beneficiaries are children aged 6 months to 6 years.
During the nutrition evaluation conducted by the Provincial Health Office, as guest speaker Mr. Malakoff said that he is happy with what he had seen. The feeding program is very organized and successful. He promised to send another shipment of manna packs to last for a year and is planning to expand coverage from 6- month old children to 10 years old.
Another survey to follow up the feeding project will be re-weighing of the children beneficiaries to see if they had improved. This will be done in 2012.
The Philos Health team was headed by no other than Mr. Forrest Malakoff with Ms. Annie Lin and Doctors Jennifer Nomoyle, Lorraine Massa, Lovella Diaz, Roberto Diaz and Kim Erlich. Volunteers and children of some of the physicians also came and helped in the supplemental feeding monitoring. They are Rebecca Montz, Jessica Erlich, Tatyana Diaz, Mimi Ong, Nick Massa, Teddy Foster, Atoosa Firouzian and Scion Mangubat.
The student volunteers with Ms. Annie Lin visited poor houses in the barangays conducting interviews to household members.
Jagna is indeed lucky to have partnered with Philos Health, an NGO with a big heart. From providing free medical check-ups, free surgical operations to free medicines and now free supplemental feeding, the LGU is very thankful to Philos Health for this blessing.
