We can do better!

Medical Ward room at Provincial Hospital, Tagbilaran.

We can do better.  Near the end of my Philippine trip I had the opportunity to visit and photograph 2 hospitals and 1 clinic in Bohol.  One hospital was privately owned, the other a government hospital and a government clinic.  It was quite an experience!  The hallways were dark and stifling, their equipment, where it existed was antiquated and crumbling.  Rooms and hallways were crowded with patients, beyond what we would ever consider acceptable.  In places patients shared a crusty and torn old hospital bed.

Hallway crowded with patients and family.

We were allowed to enter the "ICU" in one facility, which consisted of a lit room with two beds.  Each bed had only one patient and it was by far the nicest room I saw that day.  In one bed was a man who appeared to have been in a serious accident of some kind.  In the other was a man, probably between the ages of 50 and 60, that had undergone some type of surgery, presumably open-heart, judging from his incision.  This man was surrounded by a few family members that were there to monitor his progress and deliver oxygen to his lungs.  Can you imagine?  They were responsible for "bagging" him around the clock for as long as it might take!  These family members were not trained medical professionals, but it was up to them to keep pumping away at 20 breaths per minute.  If they didn’t?  Their father would certainly die.  The bag valve mask they had to use was cracking and taped to minimize the leaks.  I was stunned!  I had never imagined anything like that taking place.  It is unbelievable that in this world filled with all kinds of technology and amazing medical advancements that these types of things occur and are the norm in some areas.

Family members bag a patient at Provincial Hospital

Montana on a Mission has developed a relationship with the privately owned hospital in Tagbilaran where in exchange for donated equipment and supplies the hospital will in turn discount services for the citizens of the barrios that MOM works with, up to the total value of the items donated.  This results in a win-win situation… all patients at the hospital benefit from the donations and the barrio residents additionally benefit in receiving medical care at a discount, which they could not otherwise afford.  To date, medical equipment and supplies have been donated by St. Vincent’s (Billings, MT) and Billings Clinic and several other hospitals in Montana and Washington and distributed to hospitals and clinics in Bohol.

The Emergency Room at Provincial Hospital

Hospital maintainance workers "freshen up" hospital beds with a coat of paint

Operating Room

If this moves you, tugs at your heart, makes you think, "what if that were me?" please consider helping through prayer, a monetary donation or if you know of medical equipment that a facility may be willing to donate please leave a comment or contact me directly through my website.

We can do better, they deserve better.