Volunteers vow to continue free health screenings for OFWs

  Filipino volunteers who donate their time and resources to the Philippine Consulate General for the quarterly free health screening are vowing to continue providing service to the Filipino community even after the Consulate closes down later this year.

Volunteers from organizations like the Filipino Volunteer Medical Team, the CNMI Pharmacist Association, and Hardt Eye Clinic gave this reassurance at the Consulate’s first quarter health screening held on the ground floor of Marianas Business Plaza on March 4.

The event benefited 93 Filipino workers who availed of the eye/vision checkups, a 43-percent increase compared to the last health screening in December.

Meanwhile, a total of 283 individuals availed of the blood sugar and blood pressure screenings, posting a 34-percent surge compared to 211 in December.

Sunday’s event also saw 15 Filipino workers signing up for membership with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.

Many Filipinos who attended the event expressed their concern that the quarterly health screening will fizzle out once the Consulate closes down in July or August.

“They really are worried,” said Ernie Molina, a nurse at the Commonwealth Health Center who has been coordinating fellow nurse volunteers for the event for 17 years. “This health screening is a significant help for many Filipino workers who do not have insurance and cannot afford the high cost of medical services on island.”

He said a number of Filipino workers who regularly avail of the quarterly health screening are anxious to know if the event will continue on.

“I told them that we will never get tired of helping them as I plan to talk to the United Filipino Organization and see if we can work together to continue the health screening for our kababayans,” said Molina.

Molina said that once the Consulate closes down, they are looking at holding the health screening at the Filcom Pavilion in Susupe, with plans to hold the event every two months so that those who have high blood pressure and borderline blood sugar levels can have more follow up checkups.

He plans to provide the Division of Parks and Recreation an advanced schedule of their health screenings so the pavilion can be reserved on those dates for the health screening.

According to Molina, materials and supplies for the health screening won’t be a problem since they can ask for these from the Division of Public Health and from pharmacies on island.

Even manpower, he said, is also not a concern given that the volunteers are willing to continue providing services for the Filipino community.

Marivic Callejo, a member of the Association of Filipino Pharmacists in the CNMI, said their group will coordinate with Molina and continue their involvement in the health screening.

“Health is really wealth. It’s very important especially here in the CNMI where you pay a lot for a doctor’s checkup and most of our kababayans can’t afford it. As we get older, the more we need to take care of ourselves because we get more prone to diseases,” she said.

Ruel Balboa, optical lab technician at Hardt Eye Clinic, said their group the group will also support whoever will be taking over the logistics of the health screening.

“We’re still willing to volunteer our services because we believe in community service,” he said. “We try to help others when we can, particularly when it comes to eye care. We want more people to become aware of how to care for their vision because they will be the ones to benefit in the end.”

But Balboa noted that unlike blood sugar and blood pressure screenings, vision checkups need to be conducted in a shaded area with power since they have to set up and protect the equipment they use with patients.

CHC’s Molina also pointed out that one other problem would be the chairs and tables to be used as well as refreshments for the volunteers since it is the Consulate that provides for it during health screenings.

Molina said that since they plan to work with the UFO, they are looking at different organizations every time to sponsor these snacks for the volunteers and donate the needed fixtures for the event. Filipino restaurants and businesses can also be tapped to subsidize refreshments, he added.

“I’m positive that we can make this happen. We want to assure the Filipino community that we’ll do everything to continue these health screenings because we understand their need,” he said.

As much as they want to help, Molina also urged the Filipino community to learn to help themselves by maintaining a healthy lifestyle through proper diet and exercise.

“They have to remember that prevention is always better than cure,” he added.