DITSAAN RAMAIN RURAL HEALTH UNIT

ACTIVITIES:

New Year, new activities. Our duty never stops to serve our fellow constituents.
Our contract has ended on the 31st day of December but our work hadn’t end. We still
continued our 24 hours duty.

To start the year, the IPHO in partnership with KMITS, had organized the re-
orientation and retraining on the new version of iClinicSys held at Crystal Inn, Iligan City
last January 3 to 6 2017. The activity lasted for 4 days which was attended by MHOs,
PHNs and other health personnel.

Though we haven’t signed our contract yet for renewal, we were actively
participating in the activities of the RHU. Last January 17, 2017 I have received a delay
information for a 1-day orientation on Harmonized Mass Drug Administration organize
and facilitated by IPHO Helminthiasis Control Team headed by Dr. Macasindel and Dr.
Bacarat.

Four days after (January 21, 2017), the LGU staff had facilitated the hosting of the
Provincial Qur’an Reading for the 1st district of the province. We were tapped by the LGU
to be responsible for the medical assistance the participants and guests need.

On January 24, 2017 the IPHO have informed us of the mass contract signing to
be held in the Social Hall inside the Provincial Capitol. We were earlier informed to come
as early as 7:30 in the morning. On that day, we arrived at the venue exactly 7:30 in the
morning but have to be on the queue due to large number of NDPs waiting for their turn
in the attendance sheet and acquisition of the Contract. The venue was full-packed with
some of the NDPs standing on the side of the hall. MECAs, RHMPPs and PHAs were
also present to sign their contracts. The ceremony started with the usual program with
Ms. Descallar as the master of ceremony. Gracing the event was DOH-ARMM Secretary,
Dr. Kadil “Jojo” Sinolinding. An intermission number was witnessed from our co-NDP as
with song that blew our minds. The event was followed by an orientation on different
programs of the DOH that happened the next day (January 25, 2017) after the contract
signing.

Days after, we had our monthly meeting. Agenda were the 24 hours schedule and
the orientation of the new NDPs and MECA. Dra. Lally, our MHO, have discussed the
house rules during the meeting not only for the new health workers to remember but also
for us to re-orient ourselves. Reporting schedules were also tackled and the duties and
responsibilities of the health workers. After such, our PHN, Ma’am Ainee discussed about
the Annual Operation Plan that we should make to be guided in our activities for the days
to come.
 The rest of the remaining days of the month were greatly spent in assisting the
RHU personnel in their routine services provided to the clienteles such as the following:
 Expanded Program on Immunization every Wednesday of the week.
 Health Education on clients.
 Assisting the RHP in Consultation/ General Check-ups.
 Assisting midwives in Pre and Post Natal Check-ups.
 And many more…

LEARNING/ INSIGHTS:

For almost 6 years of being in the service as community health nurse, from
RNheals in Pantar, Lanao del Norte (1 year and 2 months) and RNheals in Ditsaan
Ramain, Lanao del Sur (11 months) to being in the NDP program (2 years and a month),
I think having the right people involved in your work makes it less boring and tiring. I’ve
been in work with the different people or shall I say different health workers from Doctors,
Nurses, Midwives and Volunteers (BHWs and CHTs) and each of them have played an
important role in molding me into the right type of worker I am if not the best. The
experiences we’ve all been through from the rough times and the smooth ones, the help
you get from them starting with your personal aspects up to your professionalism is
priceless. It is the single best learning I have.

ISSUES/ CONCERNS:

We’ve been deprived of compensation from the government. I have read Republic
Act No. 7305 “THE MAGNA CARTA OF PUBLIC HEALTH WORKERS” and came to
realize that we are not appreciated fully this law made by the government. It states here
in the said law that public health workers should have additional compensation or receive
allowances that include hazard allowance, subsistence allowance, laundry allowance and
many other allowances mentioned in the said law.
Some would say that this does not apply to contractual employee. But I have read
Section 2 of the said act and it states there that “for the purposes of this Act, “HEALTH
WORKERS” shall mean ALL persons who are engaged in health and health-related work,
and ALL persons EMPLOYED in the hospital, sanitaria, health infirmaries, HEALTH
CENTERS, RURAL HEALTH UNITS, BARANGAY HEALTH STATIONS, clinics and
other health-related establishment owned and operated by the Government or its political
subdivisions with original charters and shall include medical, allied health professionals,
administrative and supports personnel EMPLOYED regardless of their EMPLOYMENT
STATUS.” I repeat regardless of their employment status.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

With the issues and concerns I have come to these following recommendations:
1. The appropriate agency or office shall make resolution with regards to the training
of the NDPs because as public health workers we should be instilled with new
knowledge or information regarding the updates to effectively carry out the health
programs and projects of the government essential for the growth and health of
the nation. (Public Health Nursing in the Philippines, p. 373 Annex B)
2. With due respect to IPHO this matter pertaining to compensation shall be
addressed to the national office because they are the one formulating and
analyzing the existing law regarding health.
3. The LGU should be tapped to be in cooperation for the budget of their respective
NDPs training or allowances.
 Prepared by:

ALIBASHER DEREPOSUN MACALNAS, RN

NDP

Noted by:

NOROL-ANAH D. MACAPODI, RN, RM, MPA

PHN

Approved by:

NORMALLAH M. DIMALOTANG-ALONTO, MD, CFP

MHO/RHP
HEAD OF UNIT
DITSAAN RAMAIN RURAL HEALTH UNIT
ACTIVITIES:

The rest of the remaining days of the month were greatly spent in assisting the
RHU personnel in their routine services provided to the clienteles such as the following:
 Expanded Program on Immunization every Wednesday of the week.
 Health Education on clients.
 Assisting the RHP in Consultation/ General Check-ups.
 Assisting midwives in Pre and Post Natal Check-ups.
 And many more…

LEARNING/ INSIGHTS:

“Patience is a virtue” it holds true to my situation during the Medical Mission.

People are insisting and even demanding to be first in the list. I don’t tolerate “palakasan”
because all is fair. During this time I have chanted “Audhubillah” many times just to be in
control of my temper.

Organization is one of the important things one should consider in an event like
the medical mission. If the event is not properly managed or organized there will be a
probability of not catering the large number of people. Other patient may be bypassed or
even not be included in the list. There will also be conflict between the patient and the
health provider as well as conflict between patients.

ISSUES/ CONCERNS:

The issue I would like to stress here is on

RECOMMENDATIONS:
 Prepared by:

ALIBASHER DEREPOSUN MACALNAS, RN

NDP

Noted by:

NOROL-ANAH D. MACAPODI, RN, RM, MPA

PHN

Approved by:

NORMALLAH M. DIMALOTANG-ALONTO, MD, CFP

MHO/RHP
HEAD OF UNIT