Mobile Medical Screening, giving light to the less fortunate

March 19, 2024

Giving people the access to quality healthcare is one of the top priorities of the city government of Koronadal, ensuring that all citizens have equal opportunities to health-related programs especially those who are less fortunate. As a manifestation to this commitment, the City Social Welfare and Development Office in partnership with Tebow Cure Children’s Hospital, seeking to provide physical and mental remedies to children with special needs, conducted a mobile screening last 14th of March 2024 at the city hall lobby. The purpose of the program is to examine patients and determine those who have existing physical deformities that need medical intervention. The event was attended by a total of 118 patients and their guardians.
Tebow Cure Children’s Hospital is a non-profit non-governmental specialized institution catering patients aging 0-18 years old that started its mission back in 2015. In its 9 years of operation, the hospital has already reached far areas including Cagayan De Oro, Surigao and Dinagat Island.
In an interview with Mr. Elias Dacera, the Patient Support Services Director of the said hospital, stated that the primary goal of their medical mission is not only to provide free treatment to existing physical deformities to children but to also give spiritual and mental counselling to those patients who have experienced bullying because of their physical condition.
“Ang Tebow Cure, ang una gyud namo nga tumong is dili ang physical kundi ang spiritual nga side sa mga pasyente. Sa among pagtan aw diha nga ang bata nga nagdako nga nay kapansanan kasagaran gina bully na sila nga mag result sa ilahang low self-esteem and to the point nga muingon sila nga dili sila pinangga sa ginuo.” says Mr. Dacera.
In his message, Koronadal City Mayor Atty. Eliordo U. Ogena extended his gratitude to the said hospital and its personnel for helping the city government in providing medical aid to the people of Koronadal. Mayor Ogena also gave emphasis on the importance of providing quality healthcare and its significance in the progress of the city.
According to City Social Welfare and Development Officer Jennifer Magbanua, Tebow Cure caters patients aging from 0-18 years of age with existing speech and motor special needs such as cleft palate, foot conditions such as club foot, bowed legs, knock knees, limb deformities, broken bones, and tight tendon. On the side of the city government, the LGU through the initiative of CSWDO with the recommendation from Tebow Cure Children’s Hospital will provide free transportation to the patient and the guardian.
After the mobile screening, Tebow Cure will send communication to the guardians of the qualified beneficiaries for the consultation that will take place in Davao City. Tebow Cure will send a list of qualified beneficiaries to the LGU to provide free transportation to the patients and their guardians. After the initial meeting and consultation, the medical doctor will set the date for the surgery (if surgery is necessary). Aside from the surgery, the hospital will shoulder the housing, accommodation and food for the patient and the guardian. They will also provide assistive devices such as wheelchairs and crutches. For patients with cleft palate, speech therapies will be provided after the surgery to correct speech problems. As part of Tebow Cure’s spiritual mission, they will also provide counselling and biblical session to the patients.