MMSU, Rotary Club bring free medical, dental services to Solsona residents
Residents of Barangay Juan in Solsona, Ilocos Norte received free medical consultations, dental procedures and medicines during a community health outreach conducted by Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), the Rotary Club of Laoag Sunshine and St. James the Greater Parish.
The medical and dental mission was organized under MMSU's ALAGA (Advancing Local Access to General Health and Assistance) program and coincided with the Feast of Our Lady of the Pillar and the pastoral visit of Laoag Bishop Renato Mayugba.
The initiative brought together medical professionals, dentists, faculty members and student volunteers to provide healthcare services to residents who may have limited access to medical and dental facilities.
MMSU's College of Medicine, led by Dean James Patrick Peralta, worked with the Medical Student Council to provide medical consultations. The College of Dentistry, headed by Dean Artemio Licos Jr., handled oral healthcare services, while the College of Health Sciences, under Dean Cheryll Didi Nellie Obra, helped coordinate the delivery of services.
Medical doctors conducted physical examinations and consultations, with prescribed medicines provided to patients. The San Lorenzo Ruiz Medical Dental Charity Clinic also deployed a team to assist with medical consultations.
Dental services included tooth extractions and minor oral surgical procedures performed by partner dentists, with support from the Philippine Dental Association-Ilocos Norte Chapter.
Student volunteers from the College of Dentistry also administered fluoride treatments to children and distributed oral hygiene kits to encourage proper dental care at an early age.
Faculty members from the College of Health Sciences helped organize the mission's operations, while the university's Department of Pharmacy managed the sorting and distribution of prescribed medicines.
Medical supplies and pharmaceutical products used during the activity were donated by the Provincial Health Office and the Drugstores Association of the Philippines-Ilocos Norte Chapter.
MMSU President Virgilio Julius P. Manzano Jr., who also serves as president of the Rotary Club of Laoag Sunshine, led the club's participation in the outreach.
Manzano thanked the medical teams, volunteers and partner organizations for contributing their time and resources, saying their efforts reflected the Rotary principle of service above self.
He added that the initiative supported MMSU's commitment to comprehensive community service under its SUCCEED Agenda.
Peralta, the mission's lead organizer, also acknowledged the volunteers and Barangay Juan officials for facilitating the activity. He said the outreach provided medical students with practical exposure to community healthcare, complementing their academic training and the objectives of the College of Medicine.
St. James the Greater Parish priest Rev. Fr. Nolasco Pascua Jr. thanked the university, the Rotary club and the participating healthcare workers for bringing medical and dental assistance directly to residents as part of the parish's celebration.
The outreach underscored the role of partnerships among academic institutions, civic organizations, healthcare professionals and religious communities in expanding access to basic health services in rural areas.