Medical Consultation (1) and Water Donation at Shotgun

Rotaract Cares: Medical Consultation in Shotgun

Area of Focus: Disease Prevention and Treatment / Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
Project Type: Donation, Man Power
Category: Community

When: July 20, 2022
Where: Shotgun Road Community

Shotgun Road leads up to the San Mateo Landfill. And along this road, there is a community high above the mountains with no access to water. The residents, far from commute lines and any communal facilities, still need to go the mountain to collect water, which they then heat up to make potable drinking water. With such living conditions, the residents also rarely get themselves checked out by doctors.

Seeing such state, the Rotaract Club of San Mate held the project dubbed "Rotaract Cares: Medical Consultation in Shotgun San Mateo."

What did RAC San Mateo do?

RAC San Mateo invited Dr. Alexandra J. Borja, M.D. and Dr. Reuben Aaron L. Aquino, M.D to become the guest doctors for this medical consultation. We also partnered with PharmaSave Drugstore Urban, who kindly provided us with the medicine that were given out.

Rotaractors brought along 8 of blue container of water filled with potable drinking water. We also brought along enough sopas worth Php 1,512 to feed the residents waiting for their turn to be examined by the doctors. Our total spent, excluding the medicine, was Php 3,403.

With about 150 beneficiaries, these were the medicine given out:

Ascorbic acid + zinc syrup
Ascorbic+zinc capsules
Carbocisteine capsules
Iron supplement capsules

Community assessment: How did you learn about the community’s needs?
RAC San Mateo was able to reach out to a local religious group who helps a community in the mountains of San Mateo along Shotgun road. Through them, we learned of the community's lack of access to water and the problems some family have regarding exposure to proper healthcare (since there is no nearby barangay health clinc). We did an ocular of the community. We also noted the community's lacking access to nights at night, although this may be anwered by a future project. Upon arrival, we talked with two of the community leaders, who told us stories of how they lived their lives. After getting an approximate count of the residents, we collaborated with our sponsor and invited some guest doctors who will help the community of Shotgun with us.

Community assessment: How did you learn about the community’s needs?

RAC San Mateo was able to reach out to a local religious group who helps a community in the mountains of San Mateo along Shotgun road. Through them, we learned of the community's lack of access to water and the problems some family have regarding exposure to proper healthcare (since there is no nearby barangay health clinc). We did an ocular of the community. We also noted the community's lacking access to nights at night, although this may be anwered by a future project. Upon arrival, we talked with two of the community leaders, who told us stories of how they lived their lives.

After getting an approximate count of the residents, we collaborated with our sponsor and invited some guest doctors who will help the community of Shotgun with us.

Project impact: How will the project help the community after the project ends?
Giving out medicine that will last about a month would help jumpstart the health of the residents. With the doctors giving them advice on what to do and what to eat, the residents will start living better. Our donation of 8 gallon containers, although small, is a valid solution to the lack of water in the area, although we would like to install a more long term solution to the community.

Sustainability: How will the benefits of the project continue afterward?	The community of Shotgun is a low end community. The nearby landfill is what gives some of the people here their jobs. Due to the proximity to the landfill, the residents couldn't go down as often as they need to, for medicine and for clean water. Giving a medical consultation with free medicine that will last them a month will strengthen the residents. Giving water containers will lessen the burden on the residents who used to collect water on smaller containers. We will be conceptualizing a more long term solution to the problems of this community.
Start with the community	The community needed water because of its location. Because of said location, the residents also find it hard to go down the mountain to get a medical consultation and medicine. These were identified, thus, RAC San Mateo developed a medical consultation drive with free medicine, which will will help those who consulted; water containers were also donated. The residents only have liter containers which they bring up and down the mountain. By donating 8 gallon containers, the residents will find it easier to collect and bring water to their residences.
Encourage local ownership	RAC San Mateo talked with community leaders and a local religious group supporting the Shotgun community. Through them, we were able to learn of the continuing needs of Shotgun community for water, and a medical drive.
Provide training	-
Buy local	The sourced food, water containers, and water refills all come from San Mate local stores. Our project not only benefited the community we were serving, but nearby businesses as well.
Find local funding	Our medicine sponsor, PharmaSave Drugsore Urban, is from a neighbouring community. The drugstore provided us with all of the donated medicine.
Measure your success	After the middle of this fiscal year, we shall revisit the community for another similar drive. In the meantime, we shall be conceptualizing a longer lasting solution to the community's water problem.

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