Caring for the Sick, Struggling for Social Change
3 Nuns Plant Seeds for Village-Based Health Program

In 1973, at the height of martial law, three nuns started a grassroots health program that harnessed the potentials of community members and addressed the health needs of the people. Thirty years later, the community-based health program has spread nationwide but remains rooted in the reality that as long as the prevailing social system remains, achieving a healthy and just society continues to be an uphill climb.

BY ROSS MAYOR
Contributed to Bulatlat.com

Sowing the first seed

The RMP formed in 1973 a health team composed of three nuns from different congregations – Sr. Mary “Mayang” Grenough, MM; Sr. Eva Varon, Medical Mission Sister; and Sr. Rosa Villanueva, ICM. The three envisioned a grassroots health program that would harness the potentials of community members, most of whom did not even finish elementary education. But the three sisters did not see this as a hindrance and  instead saw the whole program as a chance to genuinely empower grassroots communities.

After researching on grassroots approaches to health care, including China’s barefoot doctors, they came up with manuals and guides to train community health workers. Initially, they employed a “teach-and-run” method. After assessing this method, the team decided that this method was not enough.

“We saw the need to live with the people as they learn how to organize themselves and put into practice their new skills as health workers,” said Sr. Mayang.

As they spent their time in the community, the team members became painfully aware that ill health and the prevailing socio-economic and political conditions are interrelated. This realization soon pushed CBHP to adopt a holistic approach to health care that ties together the struggle for health and the struggle for social change.

In the program’s second year, Sr. Rosa decided to return to catechism. Sr. Xavier “Sabye” Bual, SPC, who was looking for ways to maximize the use of traditional healing methods, then joined the team. A year after, three pilot areas were chosen – the Iligan Diocese in Lanao del Norte, a province in Mindanao; Palo Diocese in Leyte province, in the Visayas region; and the Ilagan Diocese of Isabela province in northern Luzon.

Each pilot area started with a health professional, a community organizer, and an office staff. Doctors were purposely not included to avoid dependence.  The core staff then trained community health workers (CHWs) who were selected by their neighbors to take the training.  The team trained the CHWs first aid and basic health concepts as well as leadership and community organizing.

From the three pilot programs, the concept spread and attracted dedicated health sciences students, health professionals, and concerned individuals. Thus, 30 years after the first seed of CBHP was sown, there are now 58 member-programs operating in 58 out of 75 provinces in the country.  Thousands of CHWs who have received intensive trainings can now perform basic surgery, dentistry, and traditional methods of healing. 

As CBHPs mushroomed nationwide, the Council for Health and Development (CHD) was born in 1988, serving as the national organization of CBHPs. The CHD coordinates and consolidates the program and provides the services needed by the programs. 

Risky but rewarding work

CBHP work poses a lot of challenges, including risks too. Since community organizing and political consciousness-raising are important components of CBHP work, authorities are at times suspicious and the CBHP staff and activities become targets of military harassment.

Medical missions in remote areas for example are usually monitored by the military. There have also been reported cases of CBHP offices and clinics that have been raided.  Meanwhile, quite a few program staff and volunteers have been murdered on suspicions that they were either members or supporters of the New People’s Army. The latest victim was a community health worker in Misamis Occidental who was killed on Oct. 8 last year while doing her laundry in the river. Suspected military and paramilitary men pumped 13 bullets into her body.  Neighbors of the victim said that she had been placed under surveillance because she was suspected of being sympathetic to the leftist guerrillas.

With a firm belief in their work, CHWs and staff have learned to deal with the situation. Dr. Gene Nisperos, a community doctor in Mindanao, said that in such situations, it is important to trust the community and the people they work with since the people themselves will be the ones who will protect them.

Despite the risks, CHWs and staff continue to work with and for the people. Aside from providing much-needed health services, 79 percent of CBHPs are also working with people’s organizations and assisting in establishing their health committees. During the CBHP’s  8^th General Assembly last January, it was observed that a fast turnover of personnel is a common problem in CBHPs because many of the CHWs and staff have become mass leaders and full time organizers in different sectors.

Empowerment

Another valuable contribution of the CBHP is the empowerment of humble peasants and laborers. Weaned away from the dole-out mentality and patronage politics, they have proven that despite their lack of formal education, they can still be responsible for their own health. Shy and timid at the start of the program, they soon learn to assert their right to health care. More importantly, they become more analytical and critical. By linking ill health to the various social malaises affecting society, they become active partners in the struggle for a just and humane society.

Despite its many accomplishments, CBHP’s member-programs are not about to rest on their achievements, nor dwell on their shortcomings. In outlining the CBHPs’ prospects for the next years, CHD Executive Director Leni Jara underscored the continuation of what the programs have started and the continuous reaching out to the health committees of the people’s organizations.

While these may seem simple enough, these prospects are rooted on the reality that as long as the prevailing system remains, there would never be a significant improvement in the people’s health. Well aware that it would still be an uphill climb toward a healthy and just society, the member-programs reaffirmed their commitment and solidarity with the people. Bulatlat.com

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