Health – Page 11 – ellen tordesillas

Fresh lemon grass

Published by Ellen on March 11, 2007

While I was undergoing chemotheraphy fro my ovarian cancer, my oncologist, Dr. Cecilia Llave, suggested that I try tanglad (lemon grass) for a drink, a tip she got from one of her patients.

That’s what I have been doing the past three years. I don’t know if tanglad has something to do with it but so far I’m okay.

A few weeks ago, an article on the medicinal powers of tanglad had been going the rounds of internet. There’s no harm trying this. A bunch of tanglad is ten centavos. Or you can plant in your backyard for a steady supply.

The article is by Allison Kaplan Sommer:

Continue readingFresh lemon grass

‘English First’ policy will hurt learning

Published by Ellen on January 31, 2007

By Juan Miguel Luz
(This appeared in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Jan. 22, 2007)

There is much to be said about the decline in English proficiency in this country. But legislating English as the medium of instruction—as proposed by the Gullas Bill—is not the solution. In fact not just English, but also Science and Math proficiency will decline should this law pass.

Rather than propose that English be the sole medium of learning, we should in fact promote multi-lingualism: English, Filipino and the local language or dialect.

The Japanese will never forego Nihonggo for English, nor will the Chinese abandon Mandarin or Cantonese for the so-called global language. Neither would the Scandinavians, Germans or (mon Dieu!) the French. Why then are we so quick to ditch Filipino for English?

Myself, Elsewhere

Published by Ellen on December 28, 2006

That’s the title of the book of Carmen Guerrero Nakpil, launched at the Havana restaurant at Greenbelt, Makati the other day

It’s not accurate to describe Mrs. Nakpil as one of the best Filipino writers because she is comparable with the best in the world

“Myself, Elsewhere” is both an autobiography and a memoir of old pre-war Ermita which is no longer visible to today’s generation.

Arroyo government’s new business: Filipino kidneys for sale

Published by Ellen on November 4, 2006

A non-government health organization slams the Arroyo government for making sale of kidneys part of a government program to promote medical tourism.The Health Alliance for Democracy, the national organization of doctors and allied health professionals, workers, and students, is disturbed by pronouncements by Health Undersecretary Jade Del Mundo that “the cost of a kidney should be from P150,000 to at least P200,000”.

Del Mundo heads Medical Tourism, the new program of the Arroyo government.

Logo-making contest

Published by Ellen on October 31, 2006

The Cervical Cancer Prevention Network Program (CECAP), a shared commitment of the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) and JHPIEGO (an affiliate of Johns Hopkins) in coordination with The Cancer Institute of UPM-Philippine General Hospital is launching a logo making contest as part of its awareness raising program to increase information on cervical cancer, how it can be prevented and treated.

Rationale:

The “Cervical Cancer Prevention Network Programs” is dedicated at empowering the Filipino women by increasing their awareness and knowledge of the disease, making them proactive and providing them with the precise tools to triumph the fight against Cervical Cancer. The logo will embody the identity of CECAP’s Vision and Mission. (Please see attached Cervical Cancer Burden in the Philippines and CECAP JHPIEGO Shared Commitment)

Hospital lessons

Published by Ellen on October 29, 2006

Last week I had my annual medical check up at The Medical City in Pasig.

What a pleasant experience!. Because they have an efficient system, I was able to have my blood test, ECG, and mammogram in one morning.

Prior to my chest and abdominal CT scan, the receptionist in the radiology desk gave me complete instructions (8 hours fasting prior to procedure and schedule of Barium Sulfate intake). That saved me a lot of trouble going to the hospital only to be asked 30 minutes before the scheduled CT scan, “Did you fast?” which happened in my first CT scan experience two years ago.

Secretary Duque explains

Published by Ellen on October 28, 2006

In reply to my Oct. 26 column in Abante on the death of nine infants at the Rizal Medical Center, Health Secretary Francisco Duque wrote the following explanation:

Greetings.

Please allow me to reiterate that the Department of Health (DOH) has not absolved the hospital authorities now facing charges for the alleged neonatal sepsis deaths of nine babies who were among those born last October 4 at the state-run Rizal Medical Center (RMC). A more thorough investigation is now under way to really see whether the neonatal deaths can be linked to a breakdown in infection control standards at RMC.

This developed as some sectors continued to regard the DOH Fact Finding Committee (FFC) and the National Epidemiology Center (NEC) investigation results as a whitewash to cover the alleged misdeeds of the said hospital.

Continue readingSecretary Duque explains

Wanted:Program Coordinator

Published by Ellen on August 15, 2006

The PGH Cancer Institute’s Cervical Cancer Prevention (CECAP) Center together with JHPIEGO (An affiliate of Johns Hopkins) is in need of a Program Coordinator and a Program Manager that will oversee the JHPIEGO/CECAP programs in the Philippines.

Salary will be at $8,000.00/year, with 13th month pay plus benefits.

CECAP project is for 18 months, with a possible three-year extension.

For more details, you may contact Dr. Cecilia Llave at 524-85-84, 0918-912-81-47 or cesll@yahoo.com

Job description:

The Burden of Cervical Cancer in the Philippines and Efforts to Combat the Disease

Published by Ellen on August 12, 2006

by Dr. Cecilia A. Ladines-Llave,chair of the UP-PGH Cancer Institute

(This paper was presented at the John Hopkins-JHPIEGO Global Conference on Low-Resource Setting Cervical Cancer Prevention, held in Bangkok, Thailand on Dec. 4, 2005)

Incidence

Worldwide, one woman dies of cervical cancer every 2 minutes, and some 500 thousand new cases of this disease are seen every year.

About 80% or 400 thousand of these new cases are in developing countries. Of these 400 thousand, 50% or 200 thousand are in Asia.

In the Philippines, conservative estimates in 2000 placed the number of cervical cancer cases at between 35 thousand and 70 thousand, to which almost 7 thousand new cases are added every year.

Iwas cervical cancer

Published by Ellen on August 7, 2006

Sa Muntinlupa, may mobile clinic na umiikot sa mga barangay para magbigay ng serbisyo pangkalusugan. Ito ay proyekto ni Congressman Ruffy Biazon na pinasinayan sa Asian Hospital noong Sabado.

Ang Mobile Clinic ay may facilities para sa dental services. Pwedeng magpalinis at magpabunot ng ngipin. Mayroon din X-ray at Ultrasound equipment. Kaya maraming klaseng medical services ang magagawa nitong mobile clinic ni Rep. Biazon. Kasama na rin dito ang information campaign.

Category: Health