MANILA, Philippines—To address the lack of medical doctors in impoverished and far-flung areas, members of the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) are introducing traditional healers (hilot) to the basics of conventional medicine and primary healthcare.
The doctors conducted seminars for the hilot.
The PMA, in a statement, said the purpose of the activity was to enable the hilot to help in the propagation of the government’s universal healthcare (Kalusugan Pangkalahatan) program, which is affected by the lack of doctors in some areas of the country.
PMA president Dr. Leo Olarte said that a series of seminars for traditional healers will be conducted nationwide and in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH).
“DOH Secretary Enrique Ona is supporting our initiative to organize our traditional healers nationwide so that we may tap them as a possible force multiplier of medical doctors in the rural areas,” Olarte said.
According to him, the first step is to familiarize the healers to the basic lingo of conventional medicine, primary healthcare, first aid, disaster and emergency response.
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