Community Informatics in Dakak

The Ateneo de Zamboanga School of Medicine through its dean, Dr. Fortunato Cristobal and The Society of Rural Physician of Canada conducted the 1st Joint Critical Care Conference at the Dakak Beach Resort, Zamboanga Del Norte. Our group, led by Dr. Marcelo was invited to present the Community Health Information Tracking System (CHITS). Thanks to ADZU's Telehealth Department (c/o Dr. Bernie Macrohon) for extending the invitation. The conference was divided into three tracks:

1. skills laboratory
2. policy and advocacies


3. emerging techonologies (telemedicine).




Various lessons and insight have been personally realized from the conference as well:

1. Large portion of public health budget is alloted to small portion of population. Sa madaling salita, mas maraming resources na napupunta sa hospitals (which serve mostly critical cases) kaysa sa health centers (which serve the "healthy yet vulnerable" community). The nature of allocation is towards curative and preventive in nature.

2. Modern technologies such as satellite based Internet routers, mobile vital signs gadget (Doctor in A Bag) and mobile health clinics are very useful and life-saving during disasters yet somewhat costly.

3. ADZU's community medicine program targets the basic yet the most crucial core part of the total health system.

4. Dakak is fascinating and much better than what is being advertised at Eat Bulaga.

5. Population of typical rural town in Canada = 2,000 - 5,000 vs Rural town in Phils =20,000 to 40,000

6. Telehealth plays the "great equalizer" because it can address the gap of addressing health care needs in the community.


The activity's goal will be unrealizable unless there is a follow through. And starting June, we hope to set the first footprints of CHITS in Region 9 through the help of ADZU School of Medicine Doc Eloy, Dra. Bernie Macrohon and Dean Fortunato Cristobal