The exodus of Filipinos, including health care providers from Butuan, to
far-away places is a truly remarkable phenomenon. Never before has some 10% of
the country's population left our shores to settle in foreign lands, How does
this diaspora affect the health care system ngani Butuan ?
NURSES AND NURSING SCHOOLS. The 3 big private hospitals in the city seem to
have no difficulty filling up staff positions. They presently employ 186
nurses. The 2 government hospitals have 78 nurses in their payrolls. The
provincial and the city health offices employ 13 public health nurses. Nurses
are also filling up positions in the different municipal or district hospitals
in the province. Nursing services ngani Butuan have not been compromised by
the ongoing out-migration of health professionals.
The top 2 nursing schools ngani Butuan last year graduated 442 new nurses. In
addition, there are 2 new nursing schools expected to add another 83 new nurses
next year. Twice as many nurses graduate in one year than the total number
needed ngani Butuan. The nursing diaspora, instead of being a "brain drain",
is in fact releasing and relieving the gnawing abscess vexing the country's
economy.
DOCTORS. Neither is the Butuan's health services compromised by the diaspora
of physicians. Today, there are 212 physicians in active private practice in
Agusan del Norte, most of them in Butuan. Today, medical specialists and
sub-specialists are in active practice here. Forty years ago, it was different.
It does not seem too long ago when accident victims with serious head injuries
and intracranial bleeding for example, had to be "airlifted" at great expense
(carabaos were sold, land mortgaged, financial futures compromised). It was
extremely risky too. All because, sadto, there was no neurosurgeon ngani
Butuan. Today, brain or other major neurosurgical operation is done ngani
Butuan almost once a week. And for free to indigents too, thanks to a
neurosurgeon's volunteer work supported by the the Butuan City Charities
Foundation of Southern California, Inc. and the Ivory Charities Foundation,
Inc., of Butuan City. It can be said that a new era has indeed dawned ngani
Butuan. The exodus of professionals from the Philippines seem to have no
adverse effect.
Today, ngani Butuan, there are quite a number of specialists and
sub-specialists. Records of the Agusan del Norte Medical Society show that
there are
11 anesthesiologists
04 dermatologists
17 general surgeons
02 neurosurgeons
01 neurologist
15 internists, including subspecialists in
diabetology, gastroenterology,
nephrology, oncology, pulmonary
medicine, cardiology.
06 ophthalmologists
03 ENT
12 obstetricians-gynecologists
03 orthopedic surgeons
02 pathologists
16 pediatricians
01 physical medicine and rehab specialist
06 radiologists-ultrsonologists
02 urologists
111 general and family medicine practitioners.
HOSPITAL SERVICES available today ngani Butuan include, among others,
hemodialysis, mammography, ultrasonography, computer tomography (CT scan),
electro-encephalography, cardiac monitoring, all these nga hadto were unheard
of. One hospital has an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machine which should
be functional soon. Gall bladders can now be removed by laparoscopic surgery
ngani Butuan.
Laboratory service is capable of sophisticated procedures, such as Immunology
and Serology, special chemistry, and determination of tumor/cancer markers.
Fully automated machines are in use, all connected to a central information
system.
TOWARDS THE HORIZON. To be sure, there are many more services still to be
desired. Advances in medicine are coming on stream at an overwhelmingly fast
clip. Catching up is hard to do. Efforts to keep up with the rapid advance may
be likened to a journey towards the horizon. The journey is endless. The
horizon is forever unreachable. Yet, the journey must go on.
Still, today ngani Butuan, it appears that there is adequate medical care for
patients notwithstanding the "brain drain."
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