Coordinating Japan Heart for International Medical Assistance

During November 2015 through January 2016, AWH coordinated a non-profit & non-government organization called Japan Heart, which dispatches Japanese volunteer medical doctors and nurses to ASEAN countries, with governmental organizations in the Philippines in order to provide their medical assistance in case of national emergencies.

AWH introduced Japan Heart to 4CDG-ARESCOM (4th Regional Community Defense Group, Army Reserve Command) and visited Colonel Pasqual at Camp Eldridge, Los Banos, Laguna. It was agreed that 4CDG-ARESCOM would facilitate land-transportation for emergency medical mission of Japan Heart in the region 4A (CALABARZON) & 4B( MIMAROPA)

20160113_094305 (Medium) 20160129_102129 (Medium) 20160129_105926 (Medium) IMG_5399[1] (Large)Next, as an accredited charity foundation, AWH contacted DSWD (Department of Social Welfare Development) Region 4A office in Alabang and Japan Heart representative Ms. Mika Aono and a neurosurgeon Dr. Miki Kanaji from Japan who volunteered in Myanmar with Japan Heart visited the regional director Leticia Diokno. After understanding the intention of Japan Heart, Director Diokno kindly set up a meeting with director Dr. Gloria Balboa of Department of Health in Health Emergency Management Bureau next day for Japan Heart.

20160128_153154 (Large)Dr. Balboa summoned Chief Health Program Officer Dr. Joel Buenaventura and Medical Specialist Dr. Ronald Law of Bureau of International Health Cooperation and a meeting was held at DOH office in Santa Cruz, Manila.

AWH and Japan Heart learned that at the time of typhoon Haiyan (Filipino name: Yolanda), there were a lot of confusion and turmoil coordinating with foreign voluntary medical teams as there were many foreign organization visited to help and no regulations set at that time. Now there is a bill constructed to deal with such National disaster emergency and PIHAC (Philippine International Humanitarian Assistance Cluster) was established. PIHAC is authorized on behalf of the other department such as  DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) and DOH to handle and coordinate foreign voluntary organizations which come to assist in case of emergency. Basically in normal time PRC (Professional Regulation Commission) licenses are required to conduct medical services in the Philippines. However, it will be waived with pre-registration with DOH as a foreign voluntary organization.

Japan Heart confirmed to work on the application documents for pre-registration.   20160129_144700 (Medium) IMG_5433[1] (Large)