Clinic for bakwits inaugurated

DATU PIANG (MindaNews/28 June) – The Sta. Teresita Bahay Kalinga clinic, a renovated wooden structure specifically to cater to the needs of evacuees, was inaugurated today by the Catholic parish priest and three Muslim ustadzes as bakwit children danced to the beat of the gongs and drums. Muslims raised their hands as Ustadz Guiamadil, who was with Ustadz Datukan and Ustadz Ismail, led the prayers for Muslims. After them, Father Eduardo “Ponpon” Vasquez, asked Catholics to make a sign of the cross as he blessed the rooms in Pilipino.
The blessing was capped with a kanduli (celebration), more dancing of sagayan, a Maguindanao ritual dance, and singing and feeding of arroz caldo for children evacuees.

The establishment of the clinic from what used to be a shelter for the elderly within the church compound, was triggered by “the high rate of death cases among children in the IDP (internally displaced persons) sites of Datu Piang,” Vasquez said.

“Many of them died because of severe dehydration and pneumonia while some were hit by bombs,” he said.

Vasquez cited records from the Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council early June 2009 that showed 30 children have died since August 2008 in the evacuation sites. “But I am very sure that it is more than that number because not all these cases are recorded due to lack of personnel and volunteers who will conduct the documentation,” he said.

Vasquez has only 117 Catholic families or about 600 in this predominantly Muslim town of 49,000 population.

Most of the time since he became parish priest of Sta. Teresita Catholic Church in October last year, had been spent on attending to the needs of Muslims, particularly the evacuees.

The clinic can accommodate, for now, 15 patients. It has a room for babies, complete with cribs.

Accommodation, medicines and meals for patients and watchers are for free, but patients’ relatives are “obliged to help in maintaining the cleanliness of the clinic compound” and once the vegetable garden is set up at the back of the clinic, they will also be asked to help maintain it.

Vasquez sought help from friends to set up the clinic.

Last week, Vasquez said they only had one doctor -- Dr. Merlyn Tamson, a volunteer from Midsayap in North Cotabato, and a volunteer nurse.

At least seven nurse volunteers are now helping Dr. Tamson.

Vasquez last week said he hoped Baby Boy Kureg would be the last child to die from malnutrition in the evacuation center.

The two-month old infant subsisted on a daily diet of simbug – a combination of water and sugar. Not having enough nourishment herself, his mother could not breastfeed him. He died on June 20. (Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews)