ARCHIVES
Sasakawa Health Prize
I am
delighted to report that in Mayoc attended the World
Health Organisation (WHO) Sixtieth World Health Assembly at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. He was there to receive the
Sasakawa Health Prize for 2007. The prize is given
for outstanding innovative work in healthcare development.
this is a wonderful achievement and recognition of Soc's work in
developing appropriate Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation in Palawan
that is applicable in many parts of the world.
Photos
of the award ceremony can be seen in the
Gallery.
Further
details can be found on the following links.
http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB120/B120_DIV3-en.pdf
See notes on page 4.
http://www.nippon-foundation.or.jp/eng/brief_dtl/20070528HealthPrize.html
http://information-hub.ofw-connect.com/OFW_Articles/?q=Palawan_Doctor_to_receive_WHO_Award
Photos on
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/multimedia/2007/wha60/en/index2.html
Report of visit to Palawan
August 2007
My annual visit to the Philippines started with two days in
Manila. Soc had arranged meetings with various, hopefully,
influential people. These were both in government and at the
University of the Philippines. Some would be helpful with
Soc’s medical activities and some for his geological work as he
still advises the Provincial Government on geology. I was also
scheduled to give a talk to the Orthopaedic Department of the
Philippine General Hospital. The PGH is the main hospital and
medical school in Manila. It was interesting to be shown
around by the Chief Resident (SpR). I lectured on Appropriate
Orthopaedics as I see it, concentration on the need to question
the excessive use of internal fixation. The senior Consultants
agreed but the juniors had more difficulty!
Then we flew to Palawan. There are not many changes but a
steady increase in the signs of affluence. There are more cars
and tricycle taxis on the road and more smart shops and
restaurants as well as many new buildings. The other measure is
the tripling of scheduled flights from Manila. I stayed as
usual in a fairly simple wooden hotel near the centre where they
are extremely welcoming.
Soc and Cecile were also most welcoming but got me down to work
straight away. Off we went to the Bahatala building to meet
the staff including Angela a Canadian VSO Physio. Then we went
to see patients both in the clinic and in the ward. There are
the usual large numbers of Club Feet, many Constriction Bands,
skeletal trauma and infection. The first patient in the ward
had a nice cold abscess with muscle wasting and osteoporosis
making the diagnosis of Tb easy. There were also the large
numbers of forearm fractures in children and some in adults.
These fractures vary from fresh to a few weeks old, some even
hoping for correction years later. The fresh ones are treated
by either manipulation under haematoma block or a few days on
skin traction, often at home, before casting. Fractured "NOF"
are as usual not treated surgically and do very well, as do the
femoral shaft fractures. The sub-capital fractures often do
not come in but are given a few days rest and then mobilised
with sticks or crutches. The per-trochanteric are mobilised the
same way after 1-3 weeks on traction. Femoral fractures are
treated by traction, skeletal in adults, on a Perkins’s bed for
4-6 weeks and then put in a thigh brace and mobilised.
We had a trip out as always. This was to follow up some
patients and to see new ones. We went to Taytay which is the
old Spanish capital of Palawan north of Puerto Princesa. It
was particularly nice to see “Lee” (see under “gallery” on the
web site) who was at school and came running across in normal
trainers. We also saw new patients that had been “found” by
Aimee, the local CBR worked attached to Bahatala. These varied
from simple trauma to complex difficult cases some probably
infective and the usual congenital problems and CP. Whilst
there I unfortunate caught the local ‘flu and found a fever in
temperatures of 95+ quite difficult. But at least it was not
Malaria!
The last week of my visit coincided with a two day course for
doctors. They came from most of the municipalities of Palawan
to learn some Orthopaedics. They are often the only doctor for
many miles and have to be “multi-skilled”, performing Caesareans
and treating the two common diseases of childhood,
gastroenteritis and Malaria, but must be ready for anything
including trauma. I was able to present Soc with the Eyre
Brooke Medal awarded by World Orthopaedic Concern International
at the opening ceremony. I then gave opening and closing talks,
Soc did the most and short talks were given by the VSO Physio
and by Cecile. Everyone seemed very keen and to enjoy
themselves. The meeting was held on the BPT Training Centre
(Bahay Sanay. This building is in constant use for meetings
and training courses. It is definitely showing its worth.
I spent much time with Soc and Cecile talking about future
developments and inevitably about finance. The exchange rate
has fallen a bit after the spectacular climb from 43 peso to the
pound to 110. It has now settled at about 90. This means that
the inflation proofing effect of the exchange rate has stopped
and slightly reversed. In addition the costs inevitable
increase and the Training Centre will have revenue
consequences. Below is a table I will put into the 2007 Annual
Report. It shows the additional funding that Cecile skilfully
and successfully arranges. The small but increasing local
contribution is very reassuring for our long term
sustainability. All the funds in Palawan go through the NGO we
set up, Bahatala Inc. There are in addition some other local
donations for the supply of wheelchairs.
|
Income
Source 2006 |
Notes |
Percent
of total |
|
British
Palawan Trust |
|
68% |
|
Christoffel Blindenmission |
1 |
24% |
|
Stitchting Lilliane Fonds |
2 |
7% |
|
Local
donations |
3 |
1% |
|
|
|
|
|
1.
CBM International (German).
2.
Funding individual children (Dutch)
3.
Up from 0.3% last year |
I hope that we will be able to increase our income
by completing the revision of our mailing list. This has
already gone up by about 15% but we need to increase further to
cover increased costs. Please consider us when making charity
donations and pass on the news about our work to your colleagues
Chairman British Palawan Trust
www.britishpalawantrust.org.uk
2 September 2007
|