PHILCAT Meet to Strengthen Partnerships
The Philippine Coalition against Tuberculosis (PHILCAT) will hold its annual convention on August 25 to 27 at the EDSA Shangri-La. This year's theme, TB Control-Breakthroughs, Best Practices, Forging Partner-ships will showcase the country's efforts to eliminate TB as well as develop the network of organizations battling the disease from different fronts.
The three-day event will be a venue for PHILCAT members, partners, and other TB fighters to talk about the scientific and practical aspects of TB control. Among the topics that shall be discussed are public-private mix directly observed short-course treatment (DOTS), multidrug-resistant TB, the development of new TB vaccines and diagnostic tests, TB in children, and TB control in special situations (such as the military and areas under political unrest. Nontraditional stakeholders in the fight against the disease---such as religious groups like Gawad Kalinga-Couples for Christ and the Cavite Christian volunteers, and civic organizations like Rotary Club Philippines---will also share their experiences.
Speakers at the event include internationally renowned names like biophysicist Maria Freire, Dr. Lee Reichman of the New Jersey Medical School, World Health Organization medical officer to the Philippines Michael Voniatis, Professor Antonio Catanzaro of the Center for Pacific Rim Studies, and Dr. Giorgio Roscigno of the Foundation for Innovative and New Diagnostics in Tuberculosis. Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit shall serve as guest of honor.
Also, a by-invitation post-graduate course shall precede the actual convention, hosted by the Philippine Tuberculosis Initiative for the Private Sector.
For more information, contact the secretariat via phone (+63-2-687-7135) or e-mail (philcatconvention@yahoo.com; philcat@paci-fic.net.ph).
PLAE Seizes Week
Seize the day!"
This is the rallying cry of the Philippine League Against Epilepsy (PLAE) this coming National Epilepsy Awareness Week, September 6 to 12.
They urge everyone, whether an epilepsy patient or not, to seize each moment and each opportunity and make the most of what one has.
They also point out that people with epilepsy are like everybody else in that they can lead happy and productive lives. They only need the understanding of their fellows regarding their condition.
In line with its awareness and advocacy campaign, PLAE will hold lay forums, scientific meetings, and a walkathon.
The lay forums will be conducted throughout the different regions and will tackle basic information about epilepsy, particularly on what to do during seizures. There will be two scientific meetings aimed at primary care physicians, September 8 in Manila and September 9 in Cebu City.
The awareness week will culminate in an awareness and fund-raising walkathon at the Quirino Grandstand.
Advocacy and Activitism in Infection Control
The Philippine Hospital Infection Control Society (PHICS) held its 10th annual convention May 27 to 28 at the Occupational Safety and Health Center, Quezon City. This year's theme centered on the need for vigilance in controlling the spread of communicable and disabling diseases in institutions tasked to manage and eradicate these diseases.
Dr. Angeles Tan-Alora, head of the University of Santo Tomas section of infectious diseases, keynoted the meet. She stressed the need for infection-control advocacy and educating the public on infection control. She said: "If you don't teach [the people] what is correct, what is true, somebody else will teach them. Maybe the surgeons will teach them. And they will just get the wrong impressions and do the wrong things. So, you have to be the one because you know…[and] because that's part of your job---a brother's keeper, a steward as healthcare professionals. Part of your job is to take care of your neighbor."
She also discussed the importance of solid data in understanding infection rates. "You have to research on rates, on acceptable norms. Search for the policies and examine them, and question behaviors of implementers."
Dr. Marissa Alejandria from Philippine General Hospital delivered a lecture on quality improvement in health care. Alejandria defined quality as achieving optimal measured outcome and maximum customer satisfaction with efficient use of resources. In the Meet-the-Expert Segment, Dr. Antonio Rebosa joined the panel in discussing issues in infection control such as surgical-site and blood-borne infections.
Meanwhile, Dr. Regina Berba of the PGH-Hospital-Infection-Control Unit spoke about areas for improvement in infection-control committees, including the rational use of antibiotics, use of invasive devices, practice improvement to reduce occupational risks, hand hygiene, compliance with isolation and barrier precautions.
Also discussed were improving the use of antiinfectives, pediatric infection-control problems, safeguarding patient and personnel safety, and legal issues in infection control.
Miles Dumalagan
Asia-Pacific Confab Promotes Problem-Based Learning
Is problem-based learning relevant to the needs and health problems of Asia-Pacific countries?
This question and other crucial issues on problem-based learning (PBL) will be tackled at the fourth Asia-Pacific Conference on September 22 to 25.
Organized by the University of the Philippines Manila, the four-day conference will be held at the Manila Pavilion. It aims to assess the relevance and appropriateness of problem-based learning in region; examine health-education systems, cultures, and pedagogies in the light of international and local health issues and trends; and draw up a plan of action for reforming health-science education.
Collaborating with UP Manila are the Asia-Pacific Association for PBL, a regional network of educators and institutions, the Association of Philippine Medical Colleges (APMC), the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region Office, and the Department of Health.
International and local experts on health and health education will talk on such topics as global health scenario and its implications on health-professions education, PBL and community-oriented education, enhancing PBL through evidence-based concepts, why PBL failed in some schools, and specific reports on the application of PBL in different countries.
Of recent innovative techniques used for making students responsible for their own learning, PBL received much attention and is now being used in whole or in part by 60 medical schools worldwide. In the Philippines its use has already been endorsed by the APMC; however few medical schools have adopted it.
PBL emphasizes the process rather than the simple acquisition of knowledge. It is founded on the perspective that critical thinking and problem solving skills are among the key elements in educating and training health service professionals. PBL trains students to confront problems, not as neat algorithms but as how problems are in real life: messy, fuzzy, information incomplete, complex, dynamic, and multidimensional. The learning experience emphasizes the cooperative and interactive process.
The PBL conference hopes to provide a forum for the critical discussion and analysis of the above issues. Apart from the plenary and parallel sessions, the conference is offering short training courses for specific skills prior to the conference. Interested commercial exhibitors are invited to showcase their educational program materials and other products during the conference. Interested parties may call the secretariat (+63-2-5221911 or +63-2-5218450 local 2033) or visit the conference web site (www.upm.edu.ph/PBLconfab2004).
A Historic Moment for Radiation Oncology
The Philippine Radiology Oncology Society (PROS) held its first independent annual meeting on June 11 and 12 at the Manila Polo Club.
Radiation oncologists and other cancer specialists, medical physicists, oncologic nurses, radiation oncologists, and other medical and industrial partners attended the two-day event, which carried the theme "Philippine Radiation Oncology: Then and Now."
PROS president Dr. Teresa SyOrtin and convention chair Dr. Robert Dulay opened the ceremonies. Dulay described the affair as "a historic moment." "We are now holding this convention independent of the [Philippine College of Radiology] convention. So, in a sense, we have cut our umbilical cord conventionwise," he said, referring to the time when PROS held its convention jointly with the PCR.
Dr. Reynaldo Gregorio, PROS founding president, keynoted the event. He reminisced about the past of radiology in the country and how it "appeared very inauspiciously amid impressive surroundings." He mentioned that in the 1930s "only a handful would honestly claim to be fully trained radiologists."
Gregorio also listed numerous milestones concerning fundamental discoveries in radiation physics that influenced the development of the specialty, in both diagnosis and therapy. He spoke about how he "conceived of the idea of an AAR, Association of ASEAN Radiologists," which was "realized in November 1979." He ended his speech by voicing out his hopes that radiologists and the expensive equipment of their subspecialties be available in the countryside to those people who cannot afford treatment.
Representatives from the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) spoke about setting up radiation therapy facilities. Ms. Eulinia Valdesco discussed the cobalt and brachytherapy units. She said the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute is entrusted with the responsibility of promulgating rules and regulations related to radioactive materials in all fields of application."
Mr. Bayani San Juan talked about linear accelerator units. He spoke of the radiation protection officer who is responsible for the "linear accelerator equipment and other staff who might be exposed to radiation." The distribution of linear accelerators and other radiation devices, their testing, installation, maintenance, and decommissioning should also be covered by regulations, he said.
Mariafe Pagsuguiron
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