Here's another addition to Davao's new development focusing on health and wellness with modern facility ....


Davao bizmen putting up P300-M medical research center

DAVAO CITY, Sept. 11 (PNA) -- A group of Filipino-Chinese businessmen here is opening up a medical center after seeing the lack of hospital beds at the height of dengue outbreak in the city recently.

Metro Davao Medical and Research Center (MDMR) medical director doctor Yvette Yenco-Tan said the group of businessmen here just want to offer health care facilities and good medical service to the people of Davao with a starting capital expenditure of P300 million.

She said MDMR would be fully operational before the year ends. A soft opening of the hospital’s ancillary services will be held on Sept. 16.

Although she did not name all the owners, Tan said Sammy Uy, president of Limso Medical Center here, was one of the owners and when they (owners) bought the old Cuison Hotel, their intention was to put up a business that would support the people of Davao on the health aspect.

She said they wanted to complement with the other hospitals operating here and in fact, the MDMR is just one block away from the government-owned Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC).

Aside from operating as a hospital, Tan said the center would also house doctors’ clinics where 161 physicians would open their respective clinics to the public next week with varied specialization from pediatrics, EENT (ear, eye, nose and throat), dermatology, general medicine, internist, obstetrics and gynecology and others field.

She said they were looking at operating it as medical service and wellness center even as she said it would also offer all care physical therapy and wellness rehab services.

The MDMR, she said, would have a clinical research component that cater on chronic illnesses. It is designed with modern architecture sporting vibrant colors to make the environment alive.

There will also be several food kiosks just like what can be seen in malls, she said. (PNA) 

Prix Digna D. Banzon/ldp/utb

The government steps up campaign on TB cure if only to help those afflicted with the disease get treatment for free.

TB doctor urges patients to avail of free medicines

DAVAO CITY (PNA) -– A tuberculosis (TB) treatment center physician here is urging patients to avail free medicines for drug-resistant TB patients which are now available at the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH) Programmatic Management of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis here.

Lilian Suemith, treatment center physician here, said the five-year TB program funded by the Global fund aims to help patients in Mindanao. The center is located at the old out-patients building of the Southern Philippine Medical Center (SPMC) along J.P. Laurel Ave, this city.

Suemith said the treatment center has been open since 2009 and there has been more than 200 patients treated or checked while 57 patients are being treated for drug resistant TB.

"We are on active case filing and we are urging those who are suffering from the disease to go to the center," she said.

Suemith said the center is giving for free an 18-month treatment as compared to a regular six to eight months treatment period which costs P200 to P300 for one patient, in private health facilities.

The center has signed a memorandum of agreement with local government units in assisting TB patients with their transportation to and from the center, she said. (PNA) 

DCT/FFC/DDB/ldp

Davao group beefs up cancer awareness campaign

DAVAO CITY -- The Davao Cancer Society beefed up its awareness campaign to reach out to women to submit for regular physical check up.

Dr. Alex Tan, vice president of the Davao Cancer Society said the situation is quiet alarming even as he cited that out of 100,000 population of Filipinas, 47 have breast cancer.

He said there are three risk factors namely, hereditary, early menstruation and late menopause.

Among the cancer cases he said breast cancer is number one, followed by cervical then the colon.

Although he did not recommended what diet to follow he said the Japanese women are of low risk in breast cancer saying that maybe because of their lifestyle and their diet mostly of fish and vegetables compared to that in the US when their diet is of high protein meat food.

Breast cancer is a malignant (cancerous) growth that begins in the tissues of the breast and the most common cancer in women.

Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells grow in an uncontrolled way.

Tan stressed however that cancer is curable if treated at an early stage.

"Our group has beef up its awareness campaign as many women still do not submit for regular check up," he said.

He said women ages 50 and above must have a yearly test for mammography while 40 to 50 years old every other year. The procedure is not recommended for 40 years old and below but still must submit for physical check up.

Meanwhile, as part of their campaign Tan said a Breast Cancer Awareness Day will be undertaken by the Atty. Eugenia Marfori Celi Foundation on October 23 at SM Entertainment Center where a Breast Cancer Awareness Lecture for lay people will be held with the participation of Melissa de Leon, a breast cancer survivor.

There will also be personal testimonies of other breast cancer survivors, Tan said.

During the activity, he said a free breast examination and consultation of breast diseases will also be held. There will be free breast ultrasound, free breast fine needle aspiration biopsy, free drug samples for breast cancer patients. 

Spearheaded by the Davao Cancer Society, the event is supported by AMUMA Cancer Support Group Foundation, Inc., Philippine College of Surgeons, Manila, Philippine Society of General Surgeons, Inc. Marco Polo Hotel Davao, Jollibee and Philippine Airlines. (PNA)

LOR/Prix Digna D. Banzon/lvp

Nonagenarian Duterte speaks about Alzheimer’s disease in Davao City


DAVAO CITY, Sept. 20 (PNA) – The 90-year-old Soledad Duterte will be one of the speakers in the 8th Annual convention of the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorder here from Oct. 7 to 8 at the Marco Polo Hotel Davao.

Nanay Soleng, as fondly called by Dabawenyos, is the grandmother of Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, the mother of Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

The old Duterte will talk about “How Ready Are We with Nursing Homes in the Philippines”. Vice Mayor Duterte is the Keynote Speaker.

Dr. Eva Aranas-Angel, member of the board of Dementia Society of the Philippines (DSP), said the convention would center on the Holistic Dementia Care where topics would include, among others, The Molecular Basis of Learning and Memory, Medical and Environmental Conditions That Affect Memory, Cognitive Symptoms of Dementia, Activities of Daily Living in Dementia, Neurobehavioral Indicators of Dementia, Diagnosis of Dementia Syndrome, Pharmacologic Strategies in the Management of Dementia, Music Therapy, Aromatherapy, Reality Orientation, Interdisciplinary Approach to Dementia Care, The Community Awareness Program of the DSP, Dementia Care Pinoy Style, Dementia Policies in the Philippines.

The convention is also organized by the Allied Specialist Group in cooperation with the Philippine Neurological Association.

On the other hand, Angel said cases of alzheimer's disease in the Philippines has become alarming to family members.

However, she said they did not have yet data as to number of cases, but she got at least two new cases a week in her clinic.

Their data show that about 70 percent of Filipinos 60 years old and above manage to live good quality of life while the remaining 30 percent of them are vulnerable to dementia.

"It is sad to note that many don't get to see a doctor. And this can be prevented," she said.

Angel is the only doctor in Davao City that practices Geriatric Medicine and gets patients from as far as Lanao and the different parts of Mindanao.

Angel also said the higher the age the more dementia cases would be, adding that among the 70 years old, about 30 percent of them suffered dementia; while for the 80 years old, around 40 percent and in the 90 years old bracket, about 50 percent of them have dementia.

Aside from the attitude of not seeing a doctor, the other problem would be economic because of the difficulty of convincing the family to see a doctor as most of them declined due to the high cost of treatment.

Seeking treatment could reduce the problem but sustaining the treatment in order to bring back quality of life was another thing, she said.

"There is no price tag for quality of life but we could put price tag to bringing back memory of the patient," she said.

She advises people, who have the option to retire, not to proceed unless they have other similar activities outside of their usual routine while still working.

She said when out of work because of retirement, reading was not enough because what the person read had to be communicated to others for actual interaction.

She said one has to have continued intellectual stimulation and it was not enough by just watching TV or by reading.

The mind, she said, had to be active as what the Europeans popularized through the University of Life Long Learning.

There is one in the Philippines handled by St. Escolastica through the University of Life where their teachers are retired professors, career executive officers (CEOs) and other executives.

She said this kind of activity could help a lot because having an alzheimer patient in the family was painful.

"Many of the family members of my patients would say they pity their parents seeing them losing their memory," she said. (PNA)

RMA/Prix Digna D. Banzon/lvp

More blood donors needed in Davao City due to dengue cases, heart surgeries

A demand for more blood supply is needed in Davao City due to dengue cases as well as the operation of Mindanao Heart Center here.

City Councilor Bernie Al-Ag, council committee chair on health, said they need about 200 donors per day to sustain the increasing demand for blood.

Al-ag said for the dengue cases alone, almost all of the supplies are depleted and they wanted to immediately come up with reserve to address the pressing demand for blood supply.

With the operation of the Mindanao Heart Center here, Al-Ag said an open heart surgery would require a good amount of blood that is why they should be ready for these requirements.

He said related to the high demand for blood supply, they convened the Davao City Blood Council composed of multi-sectoral groups which organizations have a good number of members citing among them the Philippine Banana Growers and Employees Association (PBGEA) with 20,000, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Davao City government employees, Liga ng mga Barangay, the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) and others.

"What we want to do is for these members to plot their schedule of donating blood so that all of the days will be covered completing at least 200 donors per day," he said.

He said they need to extensively campaign for this as many Dabawenyos might not know this and would be willing to donate. Ideal donors are those between 18 to 56 years old. However, those with tattoos will not be accepted.

He said what is alarming in the dengue cases is the number of deaths where the figure for the first eight months this year is almost equal to the number of deaths in the entire 2009.

In 2009, cases of death for dengue totaled 64 while the number of deaths as of August 2010 already reached 63.

Meanwhile, Al-Ag said the Barangay Dengue Prevention Council had been activated.

The council which is also multi-sectoral aims to remove possible breeding sites of mosquitoes and the conduct of fogging activities.

He said they are more particular about the stocking of old tires and bottles as there are the common places where mosquitoes breed. As to the use of fogging machines, they want to control this because it could harm persons who have respiratory problems.

He said what is important is for the barangay folks to maintain cleanliness and eliminate structures that would be the causes of illnesses.

Al-Ag also said all residents are encouraged to practice the 4 o'clock habit. (PNA)
LAP/Digna D. Banzon/lvp

Doctors beef up campaign against prostate cancer in Davao City

A group of doctors has conducted symposium during a Prostate Cancer Awareness Day at SM City Davao Entertainment Center here.

The group also conducted consultation among males as their way of letting them understand the importance of having an examination.

Davao Cancer Society president Dr. Helen Grace Te-Santos, said prostate cases had turned out alarming because most of the male population did not submit themselves for check up.

“This kind of attitude is still common among males. That is why they deemed it urgent to call on all the males for an early detection check up,” Santos said.

She said with the increasing number of cases on prostate cancer, it is a must among males with ages 45 and above to submit for an annual check up as cases continue to increase because the male population does not want their selves examined for an early detection.

Prostate cancer is among the leading ailment in the Philippines, with lung cancer topping the list for overall cases followed by cancer of the breast, colon, liver, ovary and cervix.

"Our campaign will be continuing on cancer cases and next month we will delve on cases in the head and heart," she said.

Santos led a symposium with a group of doctors facilitating the discussion.

She said the examination of the prostate was the counterpart of the annual pap smear check up among women and this had to be a regular yearly check up.

Cancer of the prostate is the 6th most common for overall cancer cases but among males its 4th among males.

New cases, she said, in 2005 was at 4,254 and deaths at 2,571.

Citing the 2005 Philippine Cancer Facts and Estimates, she said the median survival was 52 months. About 43.14 percent of the cases survived in five years while 30.74 percent survived 10 years.

Prostate cancer cases have significantly increased and expected to continue as the disease begins to rise steeply beginning at 55 years old.

Proper education would correct misconception about the disease, she said.

She said for an early detection, a test to assay prostatic antigen (PSA) is accurate enough to be used to detect prostate cancer, either as a screening method in asymptomatic men or in symptomatic individuals.

"If positive, a diagnostic biopsy is performed and if PSA test is not available, biopsy or suspicious areas in the enlarged prostate, detected by rectal digital examination and/or transrectal ultrasound is done on symptomatic individuals. Annual transrectal digital rectal examination on asymptomatic men who are 50 years or older may detect early prostate and rectum cancer," she said.

She said increasing age is the most important risk factors and the increasing numbers of Filipino males who are 55 years and older is the main reason for the significant increase and expected continuing increase in incidence.

Males who start a healthy lifestyle early in life and are able to sustain the healthy habits throughout life may lower their individual risk of prostate cancer, she said. (PNA) PDB/lvp

10 Medical Tests Women Need This Year - Health.com

10 Medical Tests Women Need This Year - Health.com