Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
.: A happy mother because of reproductive health.
.: A happy mother because of reproductive health.: Got married at twenty two and the Catholic parish church from my hometown Calauan, Laguna asked us for the parents consent because apparentl...
Thursday, September 8, 2011
NSVI visited GK Housing Village, Talisay,Cebu Phils
Feb 2, 2011 - NSVI sponsored a group of families@ the Gawad Kalinga (GK) village. They visited also those who have had NSV the previous year
But first, a little flashback to last year.GK is a refuge for poor people who need homes. Concrete 1-room row houses financed by donations provide high-density shelter for families large and small. Each home is about 20 ft. x 20 ft.
In 2010, some homes were still under construction, but many were completed
The fronts of the homes (above right) face a wide alleyway divided by a planter, whereas the backs of the homes faces muddy narrow unpaved alleyways (right) where laundry dries slowly in the humid air.
We explained vasectomy to Angela (above right), who had had 11 children, with hopes that she would inspire her husband to come for a vasectomy later that day when he returned from work as a putt-putt (bicycle with a passenger seat) driver.
Some tenants managed to procure a few wood panels to create a barrier between the living area and the one "bedroom", but most just hung a curtain. If there was a bed, it was tiny. Most tenants just slept on thin blankets or mats.
We explained vasectomy to Angela (above right), who had had 11 children, with hopes that she would inspire her husband to come for a vasectomy later that day when he returned from work as a putt-putt (bicycle with a passenger seat) driver.
Some tenants managed to procure a few wood panels to create a barrier between the living area and the one "bedroom", but most just hung a curtain. If there was a bed, it was tiny. Most tenants just slept on thin blankets or mats.
There were some electronics, but electricity was sporadic and many electronics did not work and seemed to be retained more as ornaments than for their functional value.
No units had running water, so tenants made regular trips to the community well, and a few units (below left) had old water coolers to serve as storage receptacles for the well-water
No units had running water, so tenants made regular trips to the community well, and a few units (below left) had old water coolers to serve as storage receptacles for the well-water
Children were everywhere. Here they feast hungrily on some plain bread that we purchased from a vendor during our visit.
Most families had 4 or more children. Angela's family had 11 children all living and sleeping in her tiny home. We left the women of GW with an open invitation to send their husbands to the nearby hospital for vasectomies, simple procedures that would provide more control over their family sizes. They explained that their husbands might refuse for fear of pain or loss of sexual function, but when we mentioned that we were offering each man $20 US to cover transportation costs and 2 days of lost income, their eyes brightened.
While we were visiting GW, our support staff was busy orienting the staff and counseling the patients. By the time we arrived, the men were waiting.
After their procedures, some patients were kind enough (and proud enough!) to pose for a group photo.
NSV Providers Dr. Douglas Stein, Dr. Ramon Suarez, Dr. Bacariza ( Talisay District Hospital Chief) Dr. Benie Kiamco (NSVI Sec.) Frohnie D. Cagalitan ( Social Worker), Myrna H. Danuco (Nurse)
Now she had time to tend her own garden.
Community leader Juanita (blue shirt) also brought us to see Anita
And Malinda, all of whose husbands had undergone vasectomy by us last year. Malinda had had 3 children and her one room living area looked like a school room with a little worktable and ABCs on a bulletin board
and there was a 4th young mother (4 children, green shirt) whose husband had opted also for vasectomy in last year's mission. So, these are the wives of the men who had NSV 2010
We felt good for the children whose parents could now be focused more on them than on competing younger siblings.
A pose before we left GK Housing Village. Dr.Doug Stein (NSV Provider) Frohnie D. Cagalitan (Social Worker), Jonathan Stack (Gabriel Films Producer/Director), Dr. Ronald Suarez,(SWU Medical graduate currently NY based Practitioner),Saralena Weinfield (Film Maker) and NSVI President Dr. Ramon Suarez) ....
The nursing staff and students were also delighted with the photo op and the hospital director (blue/green top) was pleased to have offered his facility as a site for such a productive mission.
Later that day we returned to Gawad Kalinga. Angela was still holding her newborn baby and was proud of her husband (red shirt) for having his vasectomy earlier that day. He was feeling just fine!
So for them, 11 it will be. No more. An opportunity to focus on and nurture the children that they already have, and to enjoy sex without fear of another pregnancy, which, at this point, could pose a serious risk to her health.
So for them, 11 it will be. No more. An opportunity to focus on and nurture the children that they already have, and to enjoy sex without fear of another pregnancy, which, at this point, could pose a serious risk to her health.
2011 Visit to the village
We returned to Gawad Kalinga one year later, this time with the filmmakers who are preparing a documentary on Male Involvement in Family Planning and World Population Issues. It was a weekday and the men were off working, some locally, some overseas.
Angela was still there,(unfortunately her youngest/11 child died, medical needs not meet due to financial difficulty) but since the husband had NSV already, they were glad she wasn't pregnant anymore!
Now she had time to tend her own garden. Community leader Juanita (blue shirt) also brought us to see Anita
(pink shirt) ...
And Malinda, all of whose husbands had undergone vasectomy by us last year. Malinda had had 3 children and her one room living area looked like a school room with a little worktable and ABCs on a bulletin board
and there was a 4th young mother (4 children, green shirt) whose husband had opted also for vasectomy in last year's mission. So, these are the wives of the men who had NSV 2010
They were all so pleased with the freedom granted by their husbands vasectomies. Other women asked if their husbands could have vasectomies.
Since we were not using the nearby hospital in Talisay this year, arrangements were made by Juanita for us to perform vasectomies in the recreation room of GK, but the proposal was stifled by Couples For Christ, an organization with a big influence in the community.
We felt good for the children whose parents could now be focused more on them than on competing younger siblings.
a Good-Bye from the families of GK, the most grateful recipients of NSVI Free Vasectomy Services in the Philippines
What's wrong with NSV Billboards ?
Feb. 2, 2011 - a visit to the Talisay City Hall to see the Mayor re NSV Billboard that was taken down
w/o our knowledge
w/o our knowledge
Prior to this mission, we decided to increase public awareness of vasectomy by use of billboards as has been done in Florida. Communicating with Frohnie by e-mail, we designed and purchased vinyl displays (bulletins, as they are called) and reserved available billboard space. The two bulletins were hung about one week before our arrival, and below are the photos taken by the billboard company Alcordo as proof of installation.
Along a busy commuter road in Talisay, a suburb of Cebu.
In Cebu on a busy road near downtown
However, we learned even before we arrived that the bulletin in Talisay had been removed by the mayor's staff and that Alcordo had been told to remove the bulletin in Cebu. Sure enough, when we went to investigate ...
.. our bulletins had been removed and the space in Talisay was even being marketed, right during the dates of our rental agreement. We had been counting on these bulletins to increase awareness of our mission, and now they were gone! Even after we had paid for them!
So we headed straight for city hall. The mayor denied any responsibility for the order to remove the bulletins and deferred to his administrative assistant, who is also his brother.
Both men explained that these are delicate issues; both denied our requests to allow the bulletin to be posted; but they did agree have city personnel bring the heavy vinyl to us at Sacred Heart Hospital.
We then went to the corporate offices of Alcordo to try to get them to rehang the vinyl in downtown Cebu. It was near closing time and they were cordial, but the Director made it very clear that she would need "approval". From whom? Well, from Monsenior Dakay, the Media Liaison Officer of the Archdiocese of Cebu. She needed the approval of the Catholic Church. It becamse very clear who was running things in some areas of the Philippines. The clergy can make or break the politicians, who have the power to grant or deny licenses for billboards. So Alcordo had to stay in their good graces.
What was so interesting through all of this was the fact that the film crew was never asked to turn off their cameras. Not in City Hall, not in the corporate offices of Alcordo, not in any hospitals of clinics where our services were provided. Not even in the offices of the mayor of Hilongos, where we were to learn in a few days that we were no longer welcome to use the main street clinic where we had performed so many vasectomies last year. The film crew (Jonathan, Saralena, and Joel) had never worked in such a camera-friendly environment. So they took advantage and documented it all.
Just prior to visiting our billboards, we had spent part of the morning at a very poor neighborhood called Gawad Kalinga, which is in Talisay, close to the hospital in Talisay where we had performed vasectomies during our 2010 mission. Gawad Kalinga is special to us and requires it's own web page.
Surgeons from the US to the Phils for the No Needle/No Scalpel Vasectomy Mission
Tuesday Feb.1, 2011 - Day 1 - the travel of the NSVI Team from the US to Cebu City @Sacred Heart Hospital
Our flight path took us over the South China Sea east of Vietnam ...
... and over the northern Philippine island of Luzon and the capitol Manila.
Departure from Hong Kong's magnificent Chek Lap Kok Airport, all built on reclaimed land.
Saralena of the Gabriel Films ( who arrived earlier) was there to pick us up at the Cebu Airport.
Posters had been hung at Sacred Heart Hospital announcing the arrival of the American Vasectomy Team and the opportunity to get a free vasectomy
While the 3 vasectomists/surgeons were doing the NSV procedure inside, Social Worker/Facilitator Frohnie and NSVI cofounder Bob Kiamco, with BHW Merlyn, conducted NSV Education to local men, emphasizing on the No Changes/No Side Effects whatsoever on the sexual functioning or strength of the men... having had Vasectomy many years ago
The news media were there to interview the NSVI Team, in this photo, interview with Ramon Suarez,President and Co-founder of NSVI. We were immediately challenged with questions about how we would respond to opposition form the Catholic Church.
Conversation re: NSV with Dr. Joseph Alesna, NSVI certified local NSV provider and Dr. Ronald Suarez, New York based practitioner, but underwent NSV @Sacred Heart Hospital few years back, son of NSVI Pres. Dr. Ramon Suarez who also had Vasectomy many years ago.
After a long first day of the NSV Mission, deserved a nice meal at a Cebu restaurant. Their first evening meal: Dr. Ramon Suarez,(NSVI Pres.) Joel (Videographer), Jonathan Stack (NY based Gabriel Films Executive Producer/Director) Dr. Douglas Stein (Urologists/NSV Provider,Florida), Dr. Nenita Suarez (Dr.Ramon's wife and VP of NSVI), Saralena Wienfield ( Gabriel Films Videographer/FilmMaker) Dr. Ronald Suarez (Drs. Ramon/Nenita son, had been vasectomized already just like his father and also a graduate of SWU Medical School, Cebu Phils)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)