For the past few weeks I have been working with Integritas, a Christian medical charity, in the Philippines. The charity provides healthcare to detainees in the Olongapo region, mainly focussed in the police stations. My role consisted of doing wellbeing checks on detainees in the police stations, which included taking histories, performing basic observations and managing any issues that these things brought about. The clinical medicine was very different to what I am used to, often working in cramped corridors and communicating through prison bars. The medicine itself highlighted the impact that inaccessible healthcare can cause, as we often diagnosed conditions in the very late stages, seeing symptoms I had previously only learnt from a textbook.

The charity also provided a weekly feeding programme to provide holistic support to the detainees. It was great to be involved in this and discuss the very real impact that malnutrition can have on a persons physical, mental and spiritual health. It was a great opportunity to fully immerse myself in a new culture and I loved interacting with the detainees and the Filipino staff that we worked with. I undertook some research for the charity and led teaching sessions for the Filipino staff.

Whilst I enjoyed my time on elective, there were many challenging aspects. The level of poverty we observed was often overwhelming and is something I will continue to process as I return to the routine of my comparatively privileged life. The high level of medical need both inside and outside the detainee setting was also difficult to process and it was hard to manage the feeling that there was always more to be done. The trip was a truly enlightening experience and I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity. It was great to see God moving in the charity and it has opened my heart to medical mission work. I am incredibly grateful for the sponsorship you provided to help make this trip a reality.