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"Please help our children," she pleaded as tears welled up in her eyes, "They are dying young!" These were the words from a mother to Sister Anna Purani, Nurse Manager I, SHP-Tampines when the team returned to San Vicente, Philippines in November 2024. The villagers' pleas reaffirmed the purpose of the SingHealth Family Medicine (FM) Residency Global Health Initiative (GHI) - to bring healthcare and medical expertise to rural villages in other countries, and to offer opportunities for FM residents and healthcare workers to experience healthcare delivery in resource-constrained environments.

With the addition of our physiotherapy and pharmacy colleagues, the nine-member Team 4 (following Team 3's visit in May 2024) successfully trained 55 Barangay Health Workers (BHWs)¹ from nine villages and completed competency assessments through case scenarios. Some of the topics covered include managing musculoskeletal ailments such as acute injuries, neck/back/knee exercises, common side effects of acute and chronic medications, and safe medication storage.

Dr Rachel Lim, Associate Consultant, SHP-Bedok imparting the inhaler technique to the BHWs at Poblacion ­­	Presenting the Graduation Certificate, soft toys and digital thermometers to the BHWs at the Sto Niño Graduation Ceremony

Presenting the toolkits to the BHWs together with their Administrator Lydia (last row, 3rd from left),
Municipal Health Officer Dr Grace (last row, 5th from left), and Chief Nurse Joicee (3rd from the right)

During the trip, the GHI team attended to about 600 villagers in New Canipo, Binga and Sto Niño. Dr Randy Poon, a 3rd-year Family Medicine Resident from SHP-Tampines recounted that they saw many locals who travelled long distances and waited patiently in long queues hoping to consult a doctor. "Their willingness to endure such hardships underscored the dire need for accessible healthcare and reaffirmed our commitment as healthcare professionals," he said.

Dr Randy examining a paediatric patient	Sister Anna (right) guiding Sto Niño BHWs on rescue therapy techniques

Majority of the villagers were assessed for respiratory illnesses, musculoskeletal issues, dermatological conditions, as well as chronic cardiovascular conditions. As with previous visits, Dr Han Shu Xin, 3rd-year Family Medicine Resident, SHP-Punggol and Ms Dai Ziyu, Senior Staff Nurse II, SHP-Outram reflected that the language barrier was a key challenge. However, with alternative means of communication such as gesturing and drawing, and with the support from the community translator, they were able to effectively communicate with the villagers.

Dr Joseph Wong, 3rd-year Family Medicine Resident, SHP-Eunos aptly highlighted that he has learnt to be more pragmatic after the consults. He shared, "When discussing the management of a condition with patients, instead of always pushing for the gold standard treatment, there may be a need to be flexible and agree on a treatment plan that the patient will comply with."

Dr Joseph (right) attending to a lady with kyphosis	Ms Samantha Lee, Senior Physiotherapist, SHP-Eunos conducting vestibular rehabilitation therapy for a patient with giddiness

It is a cherished tradition of the Global Health team to bring small soft toys, toothbrushes, and pouches, generously donated by SHP staff, for the children they meet during their trips. A month before each trip, a call for contributions was sent out to our staff who have consistently supported this meaningful initiative, bringing joy to countless children in San Vicente, Philippines.

In the recent trip, the team also gifted slippers to 550 children and taught 300 kids on proper toothbrushing techniques and good oral health. Ms Jenny Eu, Senior Pharmacist, SHP-Tampines North emphasised that sharing health knowledge and resources globally is a very meaningful task, and we should continue this journey so that more people may benefit from this initiative.

Soft toys on the lookout for new homes as Dr Chua Ching Yee and Sister Anna Purani sorted out the donations for the trip	Distributing slippers to the children at New Canipo

Back in May 2024, the previous GHI team launched a small community garden in the village to promote self-sustenance, food safety and sustainability. Six months on, the team was pleased to see the garden flourishing and organised an awards ceremony to commend the villagers' efforts. There was nothing more satisfying for the team than harvesting and consuming the crops, such as string beans and eggplants to celebrate its success!

Celebrating the fruits of their labour in the community garden ​

As Ms Samantha Lee, Senior Physiotherapist, SHP-Eunos said, "This experience has inspired me to want to be a better individual and healthcare provider, as there is so much to learn and even more to give!"

GHI Team 4 with their New Canipo host family

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to FM ACP and SHP Family for their generous contributions, and to JT Group for sponsoring the additional 20 BHW toolkits, which includes basic health assessment equipment such as stethoscopes and pulse oximeters for the BHWs.

The next expedition is planned in May 2025. We welcome support from the public and companies as we continue to touch and improve lives beyond our borders!

Please email us at [email protected] if you would like to support our mission and make a difference. 

¹ Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) refers to Community health workers in the village.

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