Forum on the Safety on Injectable Drugs and HIV-AIDS

On August 29, 2012, HAPI-C participated at the “Scaling-up Effective and Sustained Response for Drugs and HIV-AIDS”. The study was conducted by the University of Sto. Tomas (UST), with Prof. Cresencio Doma as one of the organizers. (Prof. Doma has been a supporter of HAPI-C, having been the lecturer for several of our psycho-social programs).

 

 

The focus of the study was about the spreading of HIV-AIDS in Cebu city through injectable drug use by unsterile administration.  The participants included the psychologists, several government sectors, and the injectable drug users. HAPI-C volunteers participated as the documenters for each group.

HAPI-C featured on Cebu Daily News

HAPI-C's First Public Dissemination to Cebu city Government Nurses and Midwives on August 23, 2012 was featured on Cebu Daily News on August 27, 2012. HAPI-C would like to thank the PLDT-Smart Foundation for this opportunity.

(click on photo to view full size) 

Erratum: Ms. Mary Ann Navasquez (left) and Mrs. Agnes Co (middle) are the president and the main contact person of HAPI-C, respectively. 

HAPI-C featured at Sun Star Cebu on August 26, 2012

During our first public dissemination series seminar at Cebu city Health, HAPI-C volunteer Edwardson Co was interviewed by media on what life is like for hemophilia patients living in our society. This news clipping contains the interview conducted by Sun Star Cebu, featured on its Sunday issue on August 26, 2012.

HAPI-C would like to thank the PLDT-Smart Foundation for this opportuninty.

1st PUBLIC DISSEMINATION TO CEBU CITY NURSES AND MIDWIVES

On August 23, 2012, HAPI-C had its 1^st-ever Public Dissemination on Hemophilia to Cebu City Government Health Workers at the Cebu City Health Department auditorium.

 

This first of a series of Public Disseminations by HAPI-C is an Overview on Hemophilia. The lecturer is Dr. Lynda Mae Lepatan, M.D., a hematologist with specialized training for hemophilia under the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH). For this event, the audience consisted of over 120 government nurses and midwives.  As an Overview, the lecture was about general information on hemophilia such as its genetics, symptoms, and treatment.

 

Pre-lecture evaluation sheets were distributed to check if there have been cases that the audience may have previously handled patients with hemophilia or related bleeding disorders. Post-lecture evaluation sheets were also given to rate the lecture and HAPI-C’s event as a whole. HAPI-C volunteers also gave away their “What is Hemohpilia?” pamphlets both in English and vernacular Cebuano versions to the Cebu government nurses and midwives at the end of the dissemination.

HAPI-C is grateful to the PLDT-Smart Foundation for the media coverage provided during the interview. The event was featured at Cebu Daily News, Sunstar, and Freeman newspapers. Video coverage was aired at RCTV.

 

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photos after the event

INTRODUCTION OF HAPI-C INTO THE PWD-CEBU COMMUNITY

On August 22, 2012, HAPI-C attended the PWD-Cebu monthly general assembly, held at the Labangon City District Gymnasium. HAPI-C was introduced to the PWD community, the audience consisting of over 80 social workers and PWDS alike as representatives of their respective baranggay (city districts). Discussed were reporting of their recent activities, current issues regarding PWD registration and policies, among other things.

49th PHILIPPINE ASSOCIATION OF PSYCHOLOGISTS CONVENTION AT WATERFRONT CEBU

The Philippine Association of Psychologists’ 49^th annual convention was held at Waterfront Hotel Cebu. Through HAPLOS-Manila Chairman Mr. Reynaldo Sarmienta, HAPI-C was invited to a presentation on hemophilia in relevance to the field of psychology. The session was entitled “When the Bleeding won’t Stop: The Experience of the World of Hemophilia”

left: HAPI-C volunteers Janssen Alolor and Kristhy Baluran         right: Mary Ann Navasquez and Mrs. Baby Sarmienta

On August 20, 2012, psychology masters students from Ateneo de Manila University presented a study on hemophilia patients and the impact of belonging in a hemophilia organization. The subjects of the study were HAPLOS members from Metro Manila. It proved during the one-time interviews that the subjects were more able to cope up with having hemophilia in the family, particularly those who attend the organization’s activities more often.

Afterwards, Mr. & Mrs. Sarmienta visited the HAPI-C office to have talks about current matters concerning both HAPLOS and HAPI-C, among other matters relevant to hemophilia.

HAPI-C AT THE CEBU CITY DEPT. OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES OFFICE

During the special registration date for People with Disabilities (PWD’s) at the Commission of Elections (COMELEC) office on August 11, 2012, HAPI-C was introduced to the PWD-Cebu city President Mr. Danny Omayan. Apparently hemophilia patients could not register or get updated records at the COMELEC as having a disability because it is not recognized according to Philippine government laws.

The following Monday, HAPI-C officers went to the Dept. of Social Welfare Services (DSWS) office to explain about hemophilia and also introduce and hemophilia to the PWD community. Holding office at the DSWS, the PWD-Cebu city President Mr. Danny Omayan pledged to help in the processing of hemophilia patients in registering as PWD’s.

At the DSWS Labangon office with PWD volunteers

HAPI-C Membership ID Renewal and Blood Typing Outreach

On August 04, 2012, HAPI-C members gathered at the HAPI-C office at Perpetual Succour Hospital, Cebu city. Over 130 members showed up, both coming from Cebu province and from the other islands. The event started at 08:00AM.

Patients and family members alike had their photos and updated information taken for their membership ID renewal. 

For this event, HAPI-C also had a blood typing for its members, as this crucial information is to be provided on the new ID format. (Having an official blood type may prove useful in times of emergency, when the patient has a significant amount of blood loss, when factor alone is not enough.) The blood typing test was performed by the medical technicians of the Perpetual Succour Hospital - over 100 members participated.

This day also served as the cheque disbursement for the beneficiaries of Save One Life (SOL), a partner program of HAPI-C that provides financial assistance for qualified indigent hemophilia patients.

By noon, HAPI-C's medical adviser Dr. Lynda Mae Lepatan dropped by as part of touring her visitors to the hospital. They were Dr. Alexander from Novo Nordisk (a pharmaceutical company) with Dr. Hernandez and Ms. Santos from the Philippine National Hemophilia Foundation (PNHF).

Later in the afternoon, HAPI-C's young adult volunteers held a meeting to discuss the group's upcoming activities.

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