Leilanie is currently enrolled at University of Phoenix pursuing Doctorate Degree in Health Administration
The purpose of this article is
to present some of the health needs and problems of an underserved
community in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. The
municipality of Garchitorena is subdivided into 23 barangays which
include Barangay Sumaoy. Barangay Sumaoy has over 2,000 population,
and I had the opportunity to visit this community several times this
year. As a humanitarian and registered nurse in the United States, it
is my desire to spark inspiration in advocacy to vulnerable
populations such as Barangay Sumaoy. Collaboration with relevant
stakeholders through health promotion and disease prevention programs
will help protect and promote health in this community.
Following my
passion in advocating for underserved communities has taken me to
many places in the Philippines and my experiences have given me new
perspectives. With the foundation’s humble beginnings in giving
back to the society in 2014, each experience is unique and
motivating. As I traveled to different places reaching underserved
communities, the lack of resources and education in vulnerable
populations gave encouragement to work harder on charity missions. I
was inspired to continue to reach out with compassion and
contribution. Passion must be in alignment with action and it is
imperative to help those in need to make our world a better place.
My first trip to
Sumaoy was in June and I am grateful to Raymond Borja from Bright
Lights Academy Charitable Organization for the opportunity to get to
know the community. From Manila, my flight took about an hour before
arriving in Naga City. Sumaoy is about 4 hours away from Naga City;
almost 2 hours by public transportation called jeepney and two
hours by boat. The commute can be uncomfortable because of crowded
seats. Since there is only one boat that set sail to Sumaoy every day
and no scheduled time when the boat leaves, the safest thing to do is
to arrive at the port area by sunrise. We waited for almost 5 hours
before we sailed the sea.
Barangay Sumaoy’s economic threshold is below the poverty line. Sources of family income are from farming and fishing. Most of the homes are made of bamboo, called nipa hut with weak structures. The community has limited access to electricity (from 4 pm to midnight only) and limited water sources. Only a few families have toilets, and there are no public toilet facilities in the community. The residents have limited access to health and educational services. One of the health concerns I observed during my visit was the lack of education in preventing the spread of diseases. The community had cases of pink eye, mumps, scabies and upper respiratory infections. Children affected continue close contact and run around with others which increases the risk and prevalence of spreading the diseases within the household and in the community. There is also lack of knowledge about the disease processes and treatments. I gave instructions to some of the parents and children about preventative measures in spreading the diseases and interventions, however as a healthcare professional, there is a need to create programs to help assist in dealing with health needs and problems in the community.
Advocacy is
essential to underserved community settings for health promotion and
disease prevention. A systematic approach must be developed to help
protect and promote health in the community and vulnerable
populations (Ezeonwu, 2015). The core attributes of advocacy are to
promote the well-being of individuals through safety, autonomy,
coordination of care, and engage in improving policies that directly
impact the health of the community (Ezeonwu, 2015). Over the
centuries, nursing pioneers such as Florence Nightingale and Margaret
Sanger pursued health advocacy and reform in poverty, poor housing,
communicable diseases, lack of family planning information and lack
of access to health services in underserved communities (Ezeonwu,
2015). Through shared advocacy and collaborative efforts, programs
can be created and implemented in Barangay Sumaoy to help improve the
lives of the residents in this community.
My second trip to
Sumaoy was in July, and another unique experience guided me to
continue contributing to this community even in a small way. Sumaoy
is an indigenous community, but a few miles away lies a hidden
paradise of different islands. Raymond and I with four children
explored an island for a day of swimming, hiking, and pure enjoyment.
The turquoise waters were warm and rich with relatively unexplored
diverse marine life. The sand was rich with beautiful jewels that the
sea has generously brought to the shore. The children collected
seashells, and I appreciated that each of them gave beautiful and
rare shells as a souvenir from the island. We swam and played with
the gentle waves of the sea. The crispy laughter of the children
filled my heart with joy and appreciation. However, a near drowning
experience by one of the children turned the joyful experience into a
terrifying experience for a moment. I saw the child went limp in the
sand coming out from the water, and lost consciousness for a few
seconds. I immediately assisted him, and when he responded, he
complained that he could not breathe. I could hear him wheezing, and
he turned very pale. Thankfully, after intense arousal, the child
returned to full consciousness and vomited ingested water. His color
was no longer pale, and he stopped wheezing. After a short break, he
was back in the waters and played like nothing happened. As I watched
the children play, the experience made me reflect on the scarcity of
resources in life-threatening situations, such as near drowning or
drowning. Raymond had also shared that a child in the community died
a week before our arrival and no resuscitative efforts were provided
due to lack of resources and trained health care professionals.
Nurse theorist Jean
Watson was an advocate for human caring and compassion (Lukose,
2011). As a healthcare professional, I embrace the philosophical and
ethical implications of nursing based on theory and practice of
Watson’s Caring Model. As a humanitarian, I believe that human
beings are interconnected and our experiences can help create
in-depth awareness to assist in healing process whether in the work
environment or on missionary work. Jean Watson believed that human
caring to patients, families and communities create a vital
consciousness of human connection (Lukose, 2011). Caring can foster
the development of authentic relationships and assist in healing
process (Lukose, 2011). With reflections of Watson’s Caring Model
of Nursing during my second visit to Sumaoy, I was guided to make an
action to help provide medical resources to the community specially
in emergency situations.
Returning to the United States after my second trip, I reached out to
potential donors for medical supplies as a gift to the community of
Sumaoy. I am grateful to the generous donors who participated in this
small project willing to help make an impact in the community even in
a small way. Through collaboration with Raymond Borja and Caribel
Iglesia (Principal of Sumaoy Elementary School), we delivered medical
supplies to Barangay Sumaoy in September. Basic first aid training
was provided to the participants and education on proper use of the
medical supplies. I provided care to some patients with different
health problems such as stage 4 wounds, second-degree burns,
hypertension, skin problems and upper respiratory infections. Due to
poverty, some medical problems are not treated, and some patients go
through physical and psychological suffering for a long period due to
lack of treatment. Lack of knowledge and education also leads to
wrong decisions in health management. One of the patients who had an
elevated blood pressure stated that he took Metoprolol 100 mg twice
within 24 hours. This cardiac medication was not prescribed to him. A
friend shared this medication to help decrease his blood pressure.
These decisions can create harmful effects, and the possibility of
sudden life-threatening adverse reactions.
Engaging in
purposeful conversation and developing rapport with the participants
and patients was rewarding. The concept of advocacy is to allow
vulnerable population’s voices to be heard (Ezeonwu, 2015).
Advocacy helps create a major shift and allow individuals to express
health needs and problems (Ezeonwu, 2015). As humanitarians, Raymond
and I have a responsibility for individual voices to be heard and
assist with vulnerable population’s needs and problems. To Caribel,
as a principal of the Sumaoy Elementary School, she has a
responsibility to advocate for the children and ensure that health
and educational needs are met.
Caring takes human
beings to a deeper level of connection (Lukose, 2011). The art of
caring and healing modalities integrates healing process that ensures
the quality of life (Lukose, 2011). Advocacy gives the vulnerable
population the opportunity of developing self-autonomy and make
better decisions in health management (Ezeonwu, 2015). Informing
vulnerable population about disease processes, medications, and
treatments can help individuals develop responsibilities and
empowerment for self-care management (Ezeonwu, 2015). Creating a
change for improvement in underserved communities emphasizes social
justice aspect of advocacy (Ezeonwu, 2015).
Barangay Sumaoy is
now a home to Raymond Borja. Although he spent most of his life in
the United States, there is a special connection that brings him back
to this indigenous community. His mother grew up in this community,
but due to poverty, she decided to leave the barrio. She pursued her
dreams of becoming a nurse and resided permanently in the United
States. Her vision was to return and give back to the community. This
vision is now being realized by her son Raymond through his
humanitarian efforts. As a nurse, I feel interconnected not only with
the vision of giving back but her passion in caring for others. I am
grateful to Raymond for the opportunity to serve this community.
Sharing my experiences, my pure intention is to create a ripple
effect of inspiration and action to help underserved communities,
such as Barangay Sumaoy. Inspirational Alignment Advocacy Foundation,
Inc. and donors will continue to provide educational resources and
medical supplies to Sumaoy.
Conducting an
in-depth survey and research will help identify specific needs and
problems of this community. Research outcomes will guide appropriate
development and implementation of systematic programs consistent with
theory and evidence-based practice. Shared advocacy will help provide
access information and resources to promote health, prevent diseases
and manage diseases to prevent complications. Collaboration with
relevant stakeholders will help protect and promote health in this
community.
Footnote
Dedicated to
Alicia Borja.
Special thanks
to the Barangay Captain of Sumaoy and Officials for their support and
cooperation in serving the community.
To learn more
about Inspirational Alignment Advocacy Foundation, Inc. or to donate,
visit www.inspirationalalignment.com
References
Ezeonwu, M. (2015). Community health nursing advocacy: a concept
analysis. Journal of Community Health Nursing, (32)
115-128.
Lukose, A. (2011). Developing a practice model for Watson’s theory
of caring. Nursing Science Quarterly, (24) 27-30.
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