“KAPIT BISIG” – Philippines (AMSA-Philippines)

Name of the activity: “KAPIT BISIG”

Country/NMO: Philippines (AMSA-Philippines)

Program: Dignified & Non-Discriminatory Healthcare

Type of the activity: Capacity Building

General description:

“Kapit Bisig”, is student driven series of medical mission that mainly aims to build the core competencies of its volunteers and most importantly be an initiative that will bridge the gap between healthcare and the Filipino population deprived of healthcare accessibility and delivery. The medical team will be composed of physicians, dentists, physical therapists and 100 medical students wherein they would provide initial treatment for at least 50% of the population. All findings such as communicable and non-communicable diseases will be documented along with recommendations and are submitted to the in-house clinic of the prison for long term management.

Focus area:

Prejudice & Discrimination

Problem statement:

Supported by an article of the IC of Red Cross and emphasized in the 1987 Philippine constitution, no individual loses his/her dignity and inherent rights no matter what he/she might have done. There have been efforts by NGOs and the Government, but the country’s health system remains painfully insufficient. The general population don’t receive the health care they deserve, so what more could the marginalized and minorities hope to receive? Thus, “Kapit Bisig” was conceived to bridge this gap.

Target groups and beneficiaries:

The participating volunteers consisted of medical students and licensed doctors, all of which were affiliated with AMSA-Philippines. The target beneficiary, on the other hand, were the prison inmates in the Bilibid Prison located at Muntinlupa City, Philippines. These inmates were provided free medical consultation and free medications for symptomatic relief and for maintenance for diseases such as diabetes, respiratory diseases and hypertension as the consultations saw fit.

Objectives and indicators of success:

To provide consultations and initial management to 50% of the population of RDC New Bilibid Prison; To come up with a list of initial impressions of possible diseases (Diabetes, Hypertension and Tuberculosis) for the in-house medical clinic of Bilibid Prison that would aid in the long term management of the patients; To establish doctor-medical student-patient relationship for efficient consultations and maximized development of core competencies in volunteers; To offer dental services to the detainees and to provide initial management regarding their dental concerns; To have monthly missions after its first installment with the aid of the member organizations.

Methodology:

Maximum of one hundred volunteers will be secured across 16 organizations under AMSA Philippines. Buddy-buddy system will be applied, wherein young medical students are paired with either a third year or medical clerks. Licensed physicians who are alumni of AMSA Philippines are invited as volunteer doctors to serve as consultants and teachers to the volunteers. Volunteers will get to do vital signs, consultation and management under the supervision of the consultants. All documents with highlighted initial impressions and management/recommendations will be submitted to the hospital for long term and proper management. Also, physical therapists and dentists will be invited for this mission.

Plans for evaluation:

For its first installment, the activity will be evaluated through a self-administered online evaluation survey provided by the organizing committee (OC) through the use of google form. The survey will take less than 10 minutes of the volunteers’ time to complete the survey. The form will be designed to give the OC both qualitative and quantitative information. This will be utilized for SWOT analysis and come up with recommendations for the subsequent missions.