The Department of Health in Davao region successfully delivered comprehensive medical services to thousands of residents in one of Davao Occidental's most remote indigenous communities through a dedicated health outreach program.
Medical Relief Reaches Isolated Community
From November 3 to 7, 2025, the week-long health mission transformed Barangay South Lamidan in Don Marcelino into a bustling healthcare hub. A total of 2,548 residents received free medical attention, with many traveling from distant sitios before dawn to access services they normally cannot reach due to geographical isolation and limited local facilities.
Dr. Ellenietta HMV N. Gamolo, DOH-Davao OIC Regional Director, personally led the ground operations and engaged with community leaders to strengthen the barangay's healthcare system. "Every community, no matter how remote, deserves access to quality healthcare so that services reach those who need them most and may empower the residents to live healthier lives," Dr. Gamolo emphasized during the mission.
Comprehensive Services Transform Lives
The medical teams provided an extensive range of services including consultations in family medicine, internal medicine, ophthalmology, optometry, ENT, and pediatrics. The mission also offered dental extractions and fluoridation, OB-GYN services featuring prenatal check-ups and ultrasound, minor surgical procedures, capillary blood glucose testing, and free medicine distribution.
Beyond medical care, the initiative facilitated crucial government services. The Philippine Statistics Authority and Local Civil Registrar assisted with birth registration, while PhilHealth-Davao processed membership registration and record updates. The Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office provided indigent certification and 4Ps record updates, and the AFP–73rd Infantry Battalion offered grooming services to both children and adults.
Personal Stories of Healing Emerge
The health mission brought tangible change to individuals like Adelfa Lumayas, 61, from Sitio Kiadkad. Years after suffering a stroke, she continued to struggle with mobility until receiving physical therapy during the outreach. "Dako kaayo akong pasalamat sa DOH, kay nakatabang gyud ni sa akong paglakaw balik (I am very grateful to the DOH because this has really helped me walk again)," she expressed emotionally, highlighting the significance of services rarely accessible in her remote community.
Advancing Universal Health Care Vision
This Community Outreach and Immersion Activity (COIA) represents DOH Davao's strategic approach to implementing Universal Health Care (UHC) principles across the region. The initiative directly addresses UHC's core objective of ensuring all Filipinos can access essential health services without financial hardship, particularly challenging in remote indigenous communities where health facilities are scarce and travel is difficult.
Organized through the Regional Inter-Agency Committee for Indigenous Peoples Health (RIA-CIPH-Davao), the mission demonstrated UHC's emphasis on multi-sectoral collaboration. Health agencies coordinated with education, social welfare, security forces, and local governments to provide holistic support extending beyond immediate medical needs.
The activity also reinforced UHC's focus on continuity of care through dialogues with local officials and direct engagement of health professionals, ensuring vulnerable community members including indigenous peoples, seniors, mothers, and children remain connected to long-term health programs beyond the mission's duration.
Multiple agencies supported the initiative, including the Southern Philippines Medical Center, Davao Regional Medical Center, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples-Davao, 10th Infantry Division, Police Regional Office, and Department of Social Welfare and Development, among others. Their collective efforts helped ensure the South Lamidan outreach embodied DOH Davao's mission of making healthcare inclusive, equitable, and accessible to all Filipinos, especially those in most need.
