Long Term Goals in Biswangan
During the first month of our stay in Biswangan, which is our assigned community for the next four years, we had the chance to mingle with the people and observe the community, in general. There is no doubt that the barangay owns a breathtaking panorama as the of tourism center of Lakewood can be seen in Biswangan. However, despite its prospering tourism, the place still needs improvement especially in terms of health.
One problem that we have observed was the lack of emergency preparedness of the community. In a fire which recently devastated Purok 3 and affected 24 families, everyone was so chaotic that no rapid action was done to put out the fire. The fire truck, from the nearest fire station in Pagadian City arrived just in time to see the houses and other properties all burned down. This could be addressed by making an emergency plan by the barangay officials in order to lessen personal losses that might be encountered during calamities.
Another abservation is that the family planning implemented in the community is not effective. According to Ms. LynerjoyDuterte, the midwife in Biswangan, it seems that the couples got more curious after they attended a sex education lecture. They seem to be getting the wrong message from all the lectures done by the midwife. There are still cases of unwanted pregnancies and abortion in the barangay. It should be understood that family planning can help save and preserve the lives of the women and children. The couples should be responsible enough to decide on the number and spacing of their children so as to be able to provide the basic needs of their family.
The third problem is the compliance of pregnant women to deliver in the facility. There are incidents in the barangay in which the deliveries were unsuccessful due to malpractice of delivering babies. Hilots are still the first person to whom pregnant women consult during their delivery. Aside from hilots, some do not even consult the presence of a third person. For instance, one woman in Purok 3 lost her baby because of the wrong method of delivery. Accordingly, the woman use to deliver on her own, yes on her own. Women should understand that every delivery is dangerous and facility based delivery could reduce the risk for complications.
These are just few of the many problems yet to be discovered in Barangay Biswangan. Our goal is to help the people provide solutions to these perceived problems, and dig deeper in terms of causation. Moreover, we are looking forward to conducting surveys and proper assessment of the community in terms of health and healthcare service delivery. It will take considerable time and effort to make something work but with the collaboration of the 8 medical students, people of Barangay Biswangan, and those who are willing to extend their help, anything is possible. It is our undying desire to help the people of Barangay Biswangan attain their greatest well-being.
