Karyl Sabrina I.

Javellana Med1B January 8, 2008

“Ang Kwento ni Rosario”

1. What happened in the story?

The story is about the family living in a community observing poor health and
sanitary practices. Living in a crowded barrio called “Tayong”, the story runs within the
family of a construction laborer named Jaime. He and his wife Lucy have 5 children
namely Jocelyn (5), Marites (4), Antonio (3), and Rosario (1), the youngest. Tayong is
composed of a community in the lowest economic status. Most of the residents are from
the provinces that have crossed into Manila in hopes of acquiring a better living. To
reach the area, they are to cross sewage with a tremulous bridge that often causes
accidents. 90% of the community’s residents dispose their wastes into the sewage,
making it very polluted leading to various diseases in the community. Jaime’s family was
one of the most affected. With their environment and poor diet, all of his children were all
2nd degree malnourished.
Jaime cannot afford to give his family proper nourishment. They can hardly
secure a healthy diet causing their children to be malnourished. Rosario, having the
worst condition was confined to a private hospital because of measles. She was
transfused with 1 unit of blood. However, Rosario’s family could no longer afford to pay
for her hospitalization and appealed if they could have her discharged. Prior to her
discharge they were adviced to get her back to the hospital as soon as they can or have
her admitted to the nearest government hospital. Rosario’s diarrhea and fever still
persist and a week after she died.

2. Why did it happen? Identify the enabling factors that led to the occurrence of
Rosario’s disease.

There are a number of reasons why Rosario’s case happened. For one,
Rosario’s family was in the area with a poor health and sanitary practice. Barrio Tayong
is overcrowded and located beside the city sewage. Diseases are vulnerable as the
sewage itself provides a breeding ground for microorganisms, bacteria, and other
vehicle vectors. 90% of the population doesn’t practice proper waste disposal with a
poor water system. Diseases can rapidly spread and infections can easily be attained.
Education is also a factor. Rosario’s parents have at least secured an inferior education.
Lucy was only a high school graduate and her husband reached only the third grade.
The lack of knowledge about the health and sanitation is a big factor. They were poorly
educated and thus exercised the wrong practices pertaining to proper hygiene, health
and sanitation concerns. Jaime’s family cannot afford a healthy diet and have
inadequate food intake; even to the extent of having no viand but only rice to consume
for a meal. All of their children were not properly breastfed because of the physician’s
informing Lucy of her heart condition. But because they could not afford to buy the
prescribed milk, the children were given condensed milk for nourishment instead. Their
children also were not given proper vaccines and were not completely vaccinated. They
were not taught about the side effects after the vaccines are given. Rosario and Jaime
came to the conclusion that the vaccines are not good for the kids due to the fever that
they got after vaccination. Thus, they refused to have the children go through more
vaccinations. All of these happened because of the lack of knowledge of Rosario’s
parents.
This could not occur only if the local government in the area is functioning
optimally. The center provided free consultation but could not provide medicines. It was
stated that the Sanggunian Bayan declined the request for allocated budget due to the
Mayor’s and the Municipal Health Officer’s corruption, which consequently put the lives
of many unfortunate Filipinos at risk.

3. What are your personal insights about “Ang Kwento ni Rosario”?

The story reveals truth that these events are actually happening in our society
today. It is very obvious that poverty is the main reason why this case happened. If only
Jaime could afford to put his family in a much better community; if only Jaime and his
wife Lucy obtained higher education; if only the people in authority or those who were
blessed had the heart to help; and if only greed was rejected. Death would not have
come that early. We all have the right to live. We all have the right to know our rights. We
all deserve to live.
The question running in my mind is this “is this country doing its best to protect its
countrymen?” I may sound like a radical but this country is doing its best at nothing but
corruption. Greed reigns and our poor and less fortunate brothers are suffering because
of their proceedings. It is the sad reality that we have to face every single day.

4. Given these insights and considering that you are a first year medical student and a
future health professional, what can you do? Consider the classroom discussions on
PHC, the national health situation, the scheme for health care delivery in the
Philippines and population dynamics.

As a first year medical student, I could volunteer to help out in medical missions.
Through these medical missions, I can aid in educating the various communities on
proper hygienic and sanitation practices. This should be emphasized since it is a major
prevention against diseases among the members of the community. Family planning
methods should also be lectured to the community since large families do not make their
situation better. It makes it more difficult for them to raise healthy children, which
someday could be health professionals in the future.
Medical missions will also enlighten me on the needs of the people that I will be
rendering my services as a doctor to in the future. I will be able to understand my future
patients, especially those who cannot afford the better medical treatment, and probably
be able to meet them halfway. Even as a doctor, I will be rendering my services via free
medical missions. I know there are a lot of Filipinos who cannot afford the quality
healthcare, so as a Filipino citizen I would like to do just that. I will do my best to explain
the details of my patients’ disease and the medication required for their recovery. People
deserve the truth and proper treatment. We are all human after all and it is only right to
do what unto others what we wish done upon ourselves.