HSP leads battle v. hepatitis B
Despite government efforts to make hepatitis-B vaccines available nationwide, there remain barriers to reaching every newborn, who stands to benefit most from the protection that vaccination offers.
Speaking at the recent induction of new members of the newly formed Hepatitis Society of the Philippines (HSP), Dr. Jean-Marc Olivé, representative of the World Health Organization to the Philippines, said that even though the government has purchased enough vaccines to meet the country's full requirements, "many health workers in government health centers and barangay health stations continue to charge for it as well as for needles, syringes, and services." He said mothers cited unaffordability of the charges as their number-one reason for their failure to have their children vaccinated.
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Olivé stressed that hepatitis B is among the most important preventable causes of morbidity and mortality. Yet, despite the availability of vaccines, statistics show that 70 percent of Filipinos have been exposed to the virus and eight to 12 percent are chronic carriers. He also noted that in 40 percent of cases, the virus was transmitted to the baby at birth, thereby making vaccination at birth more important. He called on members of the HSP to help eliminate the barriers to vaccination so that "we can prevent liver disease due to viral hepatitis."
Although officially formed only in 2005, the HSP traces its roots to 1978 when several Filipino gastroenterologists attended the establishment of the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver. This event started the buildup of local interest in liver and liver diseases, according to Dr. Judy Lao-Tan, HSP director, which was fueled in the 1990s by the availability of new drugs that offered prospects of eradicating the disease. This was further bolstered by the passage of Republic Act 7846, which mandates hepatitis-B immunization for infants and children below eight years old.
Lao-Tan said that the explosion of knowledge about liver diseases in the early 2000s and the growing need for an organization that will forge the collective efforts of "interest groups" in hepatitis and liver diseases prompted the Philippine Society of Gastroenterology (PSG) to form the Council on Liver Disease (CLD). Its main task was to address various concerns related to the management of liver diseases and liver-related research in the Philippines.
In 2005, the CLD presented to the Council of Past Presidents of the PSG establishment of the HSP, which immediately got support and approval.
HSP is committed to the study of the liver in health and in disease and to vigorously provide and promote comprehensive information to the public and to the medical community. It also aims to actively collaborate with the government in formulating liver-related health policies and to partner with the global medical community by sharing medical information, services, and expertise toward the prevention and treatment of liver-related diseases.
The HSP envisions itself as the lead organization on the liver and liver diseases, recognizing hepatology as a vital and a major medical discipline. Membership is open to medical professionals and allied health professionals with special interest in liver diseases who have contributed to hepatology research and practice. The association will hold its first convention on August 3 to 4.
M Mabelle Aban
PSCCI corrects misconceptions
Percutaneous Interventions in Perspective served as the theme of the 14th annual convention of the Philippine Society of Cardiovascular Catheterization and Intervention (PSCCI) held in Baguio City on April 20 to 22. "We want to gather all of the data, see where we are, see where we came from, and get a better idea of where we are headed," said Dr. Timothy Dy, PSCCI president.
He also talked about the importance of consultants and trainees coming together in forums to learn from one another. "Ours is a technical team," he said. "A lot of people actually think that it's surgery but it's not surgery. It's opening up heart arteries by means of balloons. Artery blockages come in many different shapes and forms and the strategies to tackle these problems are different, so it's a nice venue to show interesting cases and how they were conquered."
The field of cardiac catheterization is also growing. Dy said cardiac-catheterization laboratories are being put up outside the National Capital Region. At present, there are such labs in Cebu (four), Davao (two), Bicol (one), and another one is scheduled to open in Pampanga. In all of these areas, lectures will be organized both for medical professionals and the public, he said.
He explained: "Some people don't even know … that there is such a thing as angiogram, there is such a thing as angioplasty. A lot of people who know about it are misinformed. A lot of people think that it's dangerous. A lot of people think that once you have angioplasty, the blockage is gonna come back. A lot of these are myths and misconceptions that we, as the people in this field, would like to correct, so that's part of our mission."
Lectures by local and foreign speakers highlighted the two-day meet. The Dr. Bun Yok Dy (named after the PSCCI founding president) lecture was delivered by Dr. Victor Yean Teak, an interventional cardiologist from Singapore. He talked about current indications for drug-eluting stents. Dr. Adrian Fatt Hoe Low presented the latest breaking trials and data on interventional cardiology, as well as devices in development or are about to be introduced.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bun Yok Dy discussed coronary-artery disease among diabetics in a dinner symposium organized by Schering Plough Corporation. He talked about the concept of dual inhibition in cholesterol management, pointing out the need to control both cholesterol production and absorption.
M Mabelle Aban
PSHOA seeks child-health RENEWAL
With malnutrition and other health problems confronting Filipino schoolchildren, the Private School Health Officers Association (PSHOA) focused on RENEWAL-Reaching out for Enlightenment in Nurturing Energy and Wellness in Active Living-as the theme for its 26th annual convention held April 12 to 13 at the New Bayanihan Hall of United Laboratories Inc.
Dolores Sepacio, PSHOA president, said the theme reflected the association's commitment to improving and nurturing the health of "the young citizenry."
Dr. Edwin Pascua, medical director of Ritemed Philippines, lauded the organization for its determination to make a difference in school health care and help the country gain economic strides.
Keynoting the meet, Thelma Santos, director of the Department of Education's health and nutrition center, pointed to areas where such a renewal could be done. She noted that the prevalence of malnutrition among schoolchildren is as high as 21 percent. Obesity is also a growing concern. Dental caries and other oral problems, pediculosis, and acute upper-respiratory infections are very common-with dental caries topping the list.
Other problems identified include anemia, with a 37.4-percent prevalence rate. Also, 300,000 of the nine million pupils between grade one and six who had been screened for eye problems turned out to have errors of refraction. In fact, a 1999 Department of Health survey showed that 15 percent of pupils have visual disorders.
And alarmingly, recent random drug testing done by the Department of Education revealed a disturbing confirmed marijuana and shabu users in all regions, except regions I and IVB.
The PSHOA can do something to step up the fight against these problems, said Santos. She assured the convention delegates that the DepEd is doing its part in dealing with these serious issues. The Integrated School Health Nutrition Program, for instance, envisions "healthy and productive students, teachers, and nonteaching personnel enjoying their rights and actualizing their fullest potential in a healthful, stimulating, and nurturing environment."
To bring forth a renewal in school health, existing and new projects were organized under this program to address such issues as common ailments, malnutrition, drug abuse, abnormal health and nutrition behaviors, and deteriorating environmental conditions in schools and communities.
M Mabelle Aban
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