by Bohol Chronicle
A medical mission that was supposed to render free diagnostic services to barangay residents of Loboc turned sour after some beneficiaries claimed that they were pressured to purchase an herbal medicine as cure for their diagnosed ailments.
Residents of Barangay Jimilian, Loboc told DYRD "Inyong Alagad" that a certain Dr. Osias A. Asuncion together with his team composed of 4 nurses and an ECG Technician conducted a series of free medical services - ECG test, Random Blood Sugar, Urinalysis, Consultation adult/children and wound cleaning.
The medical team under the name Dugtong Buhay (Life Extension) Medical Foundation, Inc.headed by Asuncion as the medical doctor has been granted verbal authority by the office of the vice mayor to conduct medical services in the 28 barangays and the municipal employees from Sept. 22 - Oct. 28, 2011.
Documents furnished to the Chronicle revealed that the foundation requested Mayor Leon Calipusan to "conduct free medical and health services" as part of its mission nationwide.
Since Calipusan was on official travel they appeared during the session of the Sangguniang Bayan presided by Vice Mayor Louie Digal.
Digal told the Chronicle that they were never told by the team that medicines will be made available through purchase even as he informed the team that medicines were available for free to Philhealth members at the Municipal Health Center.
Digal also said that they were told that the medical mission was on their own with no sponsors supporting the mission.
Antolin Adorable, a retired teacher narrated that he was told by a female nurse that his blood pressure of 140/80, if left untreated would result in a stroke. He was also told that based on the results of the tests the female nurse determined that he had been experiencing difficulty in breathing which he vehemently denied.
She advised him to purchase 30 pieces of tablets of red Korean ginseng valued at P30/tablet. When he told her that he could not afford the P900 he was told to borrow money from friends for his medication. He refused to heed the doctor's orders.
But several residents fell prey to the subtle manner of convincing them to purchase their product after being told that they were suffering from a range of illness that can be alleviated by the korean ginseng which they believed was medication.
One resident who refused to be identified told the Chronicle that she panicked when told that she was suffering from enlargement of the heart.
She rushed home and retrieved her savings to buy the P900 worth of Korean ginseng or a months supply as instructed by the nurse.
A retired police chief also purchased P1350 worth of ginseng from the medical team.
Digal expressed surprised when told by the Chronicle that the team has been dispensing medicines paid by the beneficiaries.
The LGU provided the requested logistical needs of the medical team including the municipal ambulance used for the transportation of the team and a request for assistance from the Municipal Health Office, Barangay Health Worker, a bed for ECG patients, four tables for consultation and a set of curtains.
Accommodation waas reportedly taken cared of by the Vice Mayor while meals were charged to a Loboc municipal Kagawad.
According to Alegria Barangay Captain Alex Mandin, the medical team contacted him from a list of ABC officials at the DILG office in Manila.
Dr. Remoises Cabagnot, Head of the Provincial Health Office said that dispensing of herbal medicines need Food and Drug Authority (FDA) approval. Prescribing herbal medicines for a host of illness puts a patient in danger since these drugs have no specific dosage.
He also said that not all doctors are not qualified to interpret results even as nurses are not qualified to conduct laboratory tests such as urinalysis.
Barangay residents reported that nurses who were members of the team conducted the urinalysis and other tests even signing in behalf of doctors prescription.
Urinalysis tests were done haphazardly with no microscopes to check the presence of bacteria, they added.
But Edward L. Canoy, Medical Coordinator/Nurse of the Medical Foundation, Inc. in an interview last night said that they informed the SB that they were bringing in medicines but will not force residents to purchase which was contrary to Vice Mayor Digal's assertion that they had no prior knowledge of the medicines.
They also showed the SB all necessary documents including FDA approval of their Korean Red Ginseng with brand name Panax.
Canoy further added that they only conduct random blood and urine tests therefore sophisticated lab equipment such as microscopes are not needed.
Canoy also said that prior to selling the drugs they informed residents that these are food supplements only which also run counter to the allegations of residents who bought the so called medicines.
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