Friday, 17 July 2009


As part of her 6th year medical elective, Priscilla Tan visited the remote and rural parts of Palawan, in the Philippines, with four other UWA medical students. They were taken under the wing of Dr Editha Miguel and her organisation, Agape Rural (Health) Project (ARP). Ms Tan recounts how the Local and International Needs Contribution Scheme (LINCS) greatly aided in supplying equipment, resources and support to the needy area.

We did medical missions in the hospital as well as in remote villages in several places in the Philippines, including one on the top of Mount Sambilagaw. The villages were poor and remote, as evidenced by the lack of electricity and only one communal water tap that was put in place by ARP two years ago on top of Mount Sambilagaw.

We ran medical clinics for these people who desperately needed medical services, as there was none. We often saw diseases and infections that were easily treatable. Malaria, TB, malnutrition, wound infections and waterborne diseases were the most common presentations. One case of a three-month-old baby girl will always stay with me: her family was so poor that they could only afford to feed her water as her sole source of nutrition.

I was very saddened by the lack of resources and how easily treatable and preventable these situations and diseases were. Some situations where LINCS was able to aid these people:

• Lacerations to the anterior portion of leg from road accident – LINCS gloves, sterile packs, antiseptic solution and bandages used to clean and bandage wound.

• Palawan Hospital – LINCS provided a glucometer and a pulse oximeter as they did not have one. I have been told by Dr Miguel that these items have been used and have saved the lives of a few people already.

• A young boy who was small for his age, tired, short of breath, and looked pale – LINCS provided a stethoscope.

• General medical check up – LINCS provided a sphygmomanometer which was used many times.

• Infections – LINCS provided the Antibiotic Therapeutics Guidelines.

• Gingival tumour – LINCS gloves were used for examination.

These were just some of the LINCS medical supplies, generously supplied by sponsors, that were used in the Philippines. I believe that LINCS is a having a great impact in the developing world, having experienced first-hand the joy of seeing faces brighten, the gratitude of those who receive the supplies, and the essential help the medical supplies provide.

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Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences — School of Medicine and Pharmacology