The Young Ladies Association of Charity (YLAC) Baguio unit in coordination with the Baguio-Benguet Medical Society (BBMS), the Baguio City Dental Society (BCDS), Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC), and the Baguio Health Department held a medical-dental mission on Nov. 9 at Saint Louis Antamok in Ucab, Itogon, Benguet.

Five hundred twenty high school students and 20 teachers benefited from this activity. The mission was aimed at creating awareness on quality health and dental care among the youth. All those in the team that visited the school were volunteers.

BBMS president Dr. Bayani Tecson, Dr. Ruth Taguiling, and Dr. Grace Doromal spoke to the junior and senior high school students on drug abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, and teenage pregnancy prior to conducting an actual check-up on them. Angie Sabado, city nutritionist, opened the session with a talk on healthy lifestyle.

BDCS president Dr. Silvestre Samson III together with Dr. Terence Pineda, Dr. Juliet Buckley, and Dr. Beth Pisec started their services with lectures on dental care. The BCDS doctors together with Dr. Alex Reyes and Dr. Jovia Austria completed the team that served the first and fourth year students.

Dr. Rodolfo Tagata of the BGHMC, together with Dr. Loriza Huerta, Dr. Eileen Manongdo, Dr. Karen Milan, and interns composed the team that served second and third year students.

Dr. Florence Reyes, city health officer and YLAC adviser, brought her team of doctors, nurses, medical technologists, and interns to assist in the mission. Aside from the individual check-up of students, blood typing, blood pressure taking, and blood testing were part of their services. Other nurses from Baguio also joined the mission.

Dr. Noel N.C. Sison, specialist on eyes/diseases and a prominent practitioner in the city, also rendered free services, accompanied by his staff members.

The pharmacy set up in the library of the school was managed by Cely Gapuz and two others. Most of the medicines dispensed were courtesy of United Laboratories Inc., Pharex Corporation, and De Guzman Pharmacy.