Provide primary health care for street children

The Mobile Health Clinic aims to keep street children healthy by educating them and instilling in them the values of proper hygiene and basic health care.

It is a difficult task, since street children have been used to growing up in dirty and hazardous environments. They do not prioritize taking care of their health, as they are more concerned with the struggle to survive daily.

Still, efforts are underway to empower street children and urge them to better take care of their health and maintain a healthy lifestyle. A group of medical students from the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health (ASMPH) are supporting Childhope in endeavors to make health services more accessible to street children and their families.

MODULE ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

The medical students from ASMPH are developing an Alternative Education Module on Environmental Health and will help train the Street Educators on how to implement it.

“Our advocacy is to promote health, and health does not simply mean the absence of diseases. We want to help Childhope by making a module that is sustainable, that the street children can apply well in their daily lives,” said medical student Jethri.

The students are in the thick of finalizing and fine-tuning their module through trials and research. It will cover several topics including food safety, noise, air, and chemical pollutions, and the like. They want it to be very specialized and applicable to the street children’s urban setting and lifestyle.

The challenge is translating and simplifying theories into concrete action. They want to ensure that street children understand the topics well so they can readily apply their learnings in their daily routine.

“We realize that there is a need to strengthen foundations in terms of educating street children on health. The Mobile Health Clinic opens opportunities for street children to better take care of themselves,” said Jerson.

“It is humbling to be given the chance to know more about street children’s plight. We hope the module will help them understand their bodies, diseases, and their environment so they can better protect themselves. We hope that in our small ways, we help address the gaps in health care for street children,” he added.

 MORE THAN JUST A MEDICAL MISSION

The medical students’ engagement with Childhope is under their Learning Experiences in Communities (LEC) --- a part of their medical education curriculum. They are grateful for the opportunity to go beyond the four walls of a classroom. They are able to see underprivileged communities for what they really are, and are more inspired to make changes and help in every way they can.

“We are happy to be able to do more than just medical missions. We hope to make the module simple yet interactive and deep. We hope that through the module, street children will be empowered and be more proactive in taking good care of their health and their environments,” Rainier said.

The medical students are now working on completing materials, graphic representations, simplifying terms, and activity sheets. They plan to implement the module and train the Street Educators starting February 2018.

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Thousands of street children in Metro Manila are in dire need of medical services. The children live in unclean environments and engage in hazardous activities, making them more prone to getting sick or wounded.

More often than not, the street children remain ill and unhealthy. Their parents could not afford hospital treatment for the children. Besides, hospitals may even be too full to accommodate them.

It seems the problem is getting worse by the day. But a group of young health advocates from the streets, albeit a small one, are trying to help their little companions in protecting themselves against disease.

Mobile Health Clinic

In 2016, around 58 street children Junior Health Workers of Childhope were actively engaged in reaching the targets of the Mobile Health Clinic project. Under the project, a team of doctor, junior health workers, and volunteers reach out to street children and their families and provide health care and medical services for free.

“Last year, we were able to help around one thousand two hundred and thirty eight street children in around 10 areas in Metro Manila. Most of the children examined were from the 11 to 17 years old age bracket, followed by the 7 to 10 years old age bracket,” said Dr. Josefina Pamela Carpio, head physician of Childhope Philippines.

“Most of the children suffered from upper respiratory tract infections, dental caries, wounds, systemic viral illness, and allergic rhinitis. The diseases are primarily attributable to the street children’s environment and lifestyle,” Dr. Carpio said.

Junior Health Workers

Childhope believes that training street children to be junior health workers is the best way to empower them and protect them. Moreover, children are able to relate more with their fellow children and learn more comfortably.

“The Junior Health Workers’ presence in various areas lead to greater availability of first aid and primary care services, as well as better compliance to treatment protocols, especially among the sick, abandoned, and neglected street children,” said Dr. Carpio.

Being a junior health worker is not as easy as anyone may think. The street children go through rigorous screening process, training, and workshops. The sessions during trainings include pointers on leadership, effective communication, first-aid, and disaster preparedness. JHWs also attend various activities of Childhope to provide first aid and to assist the staff in organizing their fellow street children.

Healthy environment, lifestyle for street children

More than their tasks, the Junior Health Workers take their mission to heart. For the young advocates, being able to help treat the wounds of their fellow street children, and teach them the basics of proper hygiene and health care goes a long way in empowering and protecting them.

“I get happy and humbled at the same time when the street children thank me whenever I am able to treat their wounds, or give them health tips. I feel like a little doctor,” Mary, one of Childhope’s junior health workers, said.

Mary has been a Childhope Junior Health Worker since 2009. The 17 year old continues to pursue her dreams. She is passionate about advocating for child rights and well-being, and hopes to continue taking care of street children the best way she can.

Links:

• Check out our programs and services on our website
• Check out our programs and services on Rappler