10 DOCTORS NEEDED FROM 7:30AM-2:30PM!!

Project Description

 The Barangay Loyola Heights Medical Mission will be held on November 10, 2012 at the Barangay Hall to cater to the immediate health needs of 500 beneficiaries from Marytown and Park 7, two of the most depressed communities in the area. During the event, the beneficiaries will communicate their health concerns to relevant doctors and gain access to free medicine for initial treatment. The Ateneo Student Catholic Action is the main organizer of the event, while the Exempli Gratia Foundation will be supplementing their efforts by supplying medicines, among others.

Stakeholders

 Ateneo Student Catholic Action - AtSCA is an accredited faith formation organization in the Ateneo de Manila University. AtSCA hopes to direct the growth of its members towards service for others based on their Christian faith and ideals, on their Filipino spirit, and on the pursuit of truth through liberal education. AtSCA currently has four communities: K1B4, K1B6, Marytown and Park 7.

 Exempli Gratia Foundation - is a movement of ordinary individuals (mostly young professionals, entrepreneurs, and students) who are committed to sharing their passion, time, and resources for community service especially in areas where help is really needed.

Beneficiaries

 Marytown

 Marytown is a depressed area behind SMDC’s Berkeley Residences. It is built around a small creek that connects to a larger creek in Park 7. The area is only accessible to motorcycles as its pathways and alleyways are too narrow and very difficult to navigate. The houses are mostly made of weak but readily accessible materials. They are densely grouped and are usually 2-3 stories high, disabling the sunlight from reaching the dark and damp alleys. Indeed, vegetation in the area is little to none. Stagnant waters and the small crevices instead provide a breeding ground for pests, particularly rats which infest the area. 

 Health and Well-Being

 While there has been no major outbreak of an infectious disease in the area, the damp environment, coupled with the cramped conditions, allow for some serious health concerns such as the high rate of transmission of diseases, the prevalence of disease vectors. Currently, however, the most common health problems include gastrointestinal illnesses and pulmo-respiratory infections.

Park 7

 Park 7 is another depressed area in Barangay Loyola Heights, situated inside Varsity Hills Subdivision and originally envisioned to be a park until informal settlers resided in the area. Like Marytown, it is built around a creek. However, its larger creek potentially poses bigger problems in terms of sanitation, water pollution and breeding of disease vectors such as mosquitoes. Nevertheless, it enjoys bigger space, better ventilation and more sunshine as the houses are not built as high or as close together as Marytown.

 Health and Well-Being

 Gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses are also most common in Park 7.  In addition, however, a significant number of residents in the area breed livestock and hence may inadvertently be breeding various animal-borne parasites. The polluted creek may also serve as a breeding ground for other pests. Nevertheless, there is a notable vigilance in observing sanitation practices among the youth.