Healing hearts, empowering lives: PMSA organizes medical mission in Tumana, Marikina

On 26 November 2023, the Pre-Medical Society of Ateneo (PMSA) achieved the milestone of hosting its first post-pandemic onsite and off-campus medical mission in Barangay Tumana, Marikina, after their last onsite medical drive back in 2018. Spearheaded by the organization’s Department of Social Involvement, this event, titled Community Health Series (CHS), is part of a series of medical drive initiatives, with this year’s theme being Alagang Tumana: Tamang Alaga Para Sa Tumana, focusing on hypertension and diabetes.

With five volunteer doctors specializing in different areas—Dr. Liane Denise B. Tan in adult medicine, Dr. Miriam Catherine Dantes, a neurologist, Dr. Raquel Tanee Yap, an internist, Dr. Marjorie Manabat, an ophthalmologist, Dr. Maria Jenina Angela Paculan, a general surgeon, and Dr. Marie Aileen Frances Carlos in family medicine—six medical student volunteers from the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health External Affairs Council (ASMPH EAC), and PMSA volunteers, composed of members, executive, and central board officers, the team provided free health consultations to approximately 60 citizens of Tumana, spanning different ages and genders, with varying health concerns.

To gather sufficient funding for the project, the organization also held its fundraising program last school year, PMSA Connects: SWEETstakes. The program enabled the organization to purchase 50 health kits. Each kit contained medicines for hypertension and diabetes maintenance, a COVID antigen test kit and manual, and a pamphlet with information on the targeted disease. These kits were distributed to the patients, along with 25 glucometer kits, which were turned over to the Barangay Health Care Unit during the event.

One of its project heads, Sarah Marie Miraña, expressed that the project team had many apprehensions before the event, as it was the organization's first time doing it again after a long while, with most of the team members not having any prior experience in facilitating medical drives. However, with overwhelming support from the organization’s officers and members, and guidance from the moderator, formator, and volunteer doctors, the team moved forward successfully.

Miraña expressed, “There were times when we even questioned our capabilities to handle such a heavy, and of course, important project. What really pushed our team to keep going was remembering who we do this for in the first place. We do it for the people. Always for the people.”

After witnessing the smooth flow of the event from registration to consultations and kit distributions, and having interacted with the grateful citizens of Tumana who were able to enjoy free consultation services with specialists, Miraña, along with her co-head, Kazandra Zoebelle George, Externals Vice President, Angeli Nicole Liwag, and PMSA President, Francesca Ysabel Sanchez, shared that the team felt nothing short of fulfillment and a stronger motivation to do even better next time.

This engagement was coordinated in collaboration with Sir Jimmy Ceguerra, former Health Care Committee Chairman and current Barangay Secretary of Barangay Tumana, and the barangay’s health care unit. CHS 2023 re-established a solid start for PMSA to build a stronger and more sustainable partnership with Barangay Tumana to be able to deliver health-related services to its citizens for a longer period.

About the Pre-Medical Society of Ateneo:

The Pre-Medical Society of Ateneo, the premier pre-medical organization of Ateneo, identifies itself with the tagline: Igniting Hearts, Connecting Passions, and envisions being a community of students at the Ateneo de Manila University, holistically prepared as future healthcare professionals and health advocates. The organization facilitates the formation of proactive leaders who have an understanding of the medical profession, initiating development in the Health sector of the Philippines. Through its various projects, PMSA aims to provide experiences and opportunities that nurture its members to gain a perspective of medicine beyond its clinical aspect, cultivating fellowship among members while assisting them in their personal discernment of a medical career and strengthening professional relationships with communities outside the Ateneo.