SMC opens health clinic for disadvantaged women in Tondo
For many women in poor communities, the family’s needs precede their health.
Daily TribuneFor many women in poor communities, the family’s needs precede their health.
San Miguel Corporation has opened a women's health clinic in Tondo that will provide specialized healthcare for women from nearby poor communities to reduce their risk of breast and cervical cancer — two of the most common diseases among Filipino women.
SMC president and chief executive officer Ramon Ang said this latest initiative would help arrest rising reproductive health issues among women in poor urban communities, as part of its increased focus and involvement on women's issues, under its broader social development plan.
SMC's women's health clinic will provide free medical services, including obstetrics and gynecologic ultrasound, general ultrasound, and medical consultation for pregnancies and reproductive health to over 400 women members of its Better World Tondo community.
The clinic, located within SMC's "Better World Tondo" community center, which also functions as a feeding and learning center and food bank, will also hold regular health education sessions that will teach women from poor urban communities about cancer prevention, pregnancy healthcare, and nutrition, among others.
"For many women in poor communities, the family's needs precede their health. Instead of paying for healthcare, they might as well buy food, pay for the rent, or buy school supplies. This is the unfortunate situation in which women find themselves every day, which is why they may often postpone diagnosing a serious health problem. With this clinic, we hope to be able to provide women with the proper health care they need," Ang said.
"Apart from giving them access to free and specialized medical care and equipment, we will also work with medical experts to continuously guide them on how to prevent serious illnesses through early detection," he adds.
