The Ateneo Medical Assistance for Doctorless Areas (AMADA) of the Center for Community Extension Services (CCES) participated in the Medical-Surgical-Dental Mission held at the Community Plaza, Sta. Clara, Lamitan City, Basilan on December 16, 2012. The AMADA’s main aim is to to provide access to health and medical services for the poor in isolated, hard-to-reach communities in the southwestern areas of Mindanao.
The whole-day activity was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Lamitan through the Office of the Vice Mayor and Sta. Clara Barangay Council, Sta. Clara Integrated Development Association (SIDA), Sta. Clara Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Integrated Development Cooperative (SCARBIDC), Philippine Army, Community Health Action Team (CHAT), Business Sectors, and ADZU-CCES. A total of 436 patients availed the free medical, surgical, and dental services. In addition to the health services, the Philippine Army provided free grooming service to the young boys and the gentlemen of Sta. Clara.
The San Antonio de Padua Parish in Santa Clara, Lamitan City is celebrating its Golden Jubilee as a Parish which was launched last June 13, 2012. As part of their year-long celebration, the conduct of the Medical- Surgical-Dental Mission was identified as one of its major activities. Rev. Fr. Arnel A Lagan, SFO, their Parish Priest, stressed in his letter that “while the Church celebrates Spiritual Health gained thru the golden years, it will be better as well to recharge and heal some deteriorating biological health of some parishioners and give them the chance to enjoy better the golden jubilee celebration and this Christmas 2012”, hence the conduct of the said event.
This isn’t the first time that CCES-AMADA held such activity in Basilan. Previously, 484 patients from Barangay Colonia, Lamitan City were able to avail of the free medical services provided by CCES-AMADA on August 11, 2012. Over the years, the program continued to reach-out and serve several far-flung communities, within and outside the city, through the provision of one of the basic human rights – health care, as a dedication to the University’s vision of bringing peace and development.
