By Louise Kwok
In Australia, access to healthcare is a right, however for many living in low income countries, it is a luxury.
Maria and Emilyn live in Patupat, Philippines where a new local health centre, the Kadasig Centre has been built. While the centre is an important and valuable resource in the community, it currently lacks the trained and experienced staff required to utilise the resources and supplies available, and is only able to provide limited health education to the community.
Maria and Emilyn are part of a collective of women who draw on the strengths of one another to assist community development in their individual villages. They share traditional strengths in herbal medicine, nutritional cooking and massage therapy, but realise that formal training in primary health care skills will help them save lives, particularly in infant mortality.
With your help this end of financial year, a qualified Australian nurse can be recruited and prepared for placement with the Kadasig Centre. The nurse will assist to integrate existing strengths of the women in the collective with education and training in new primary healthcare skills. This will enable Maria, Emilyn and the other women to improve the health promotion sessions in their local communities.
Unfortunately, current travel restrictions mean that communities like Patupat are unable to receive the support they have requested from Palms right now, however we must not stand idle.
By focusing our efforts on recruiting the right people for placements now, participants can be ready for departure as soon as it is safe in 2021, and communities like Patupat can build their resilience and capacity to manage health challenges and crises without further delay.
Patupat is just one of many communities currently seeking the help of qualified and experienced Australians.
Please show your support this end of financial year and give generously to help Palms raise $70,000 by June 30 to recruit and prepare 16 skilled professionals who will help build on the strengths of organisations like the Kadasig Centre and the women of Patupat without any further delay.