Written By Aiesha Daquioag
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Inside a sanctuary built to provide care and support, the
University of Baguio brought essential healthcare services to the beneficiaries of Helping Hands Healing Hearts Ministries Philippines Inc. on July 18, 2026, providing medical consultations, laboratory testing, and dental care to children and adults.
Promoting health, inclusivity, and community partnership, the outreach initiative was led by the University of Baguio School of Natural Sciences, School of Nursing, and School of Dentistry at the ministry’s facility in Baguio City.
Helping Hands Healing Hearts Ministries Philippines Inc. is a non-governmental organization and child welfare facility that provides residential care and support to children in crisis. The organization also serves adult beneficiaries, underscoring the importance of accessible healthcare within the community.
The medical mission began with vital signs monitoring, including blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate, temperature, and oxygen saturation, by the School of Nursing. These initial assessments helped healthcare providers evaluate the beneficiaries’ health status and identify concerns requiring further attention.
Medical consultations followed, allowing healthcare professionals to assess individual health concerns, provide medical advice, prescribe medications when necessary, and recommend clinical referrals for further management. Both children and adults received care based on their respective health needs.
The School of Natural Sciences complemented the medical services by facilitating on-site laboratory testing, including urinalysis and hematocrit testing. These procedures provided additional health information to support the healthcare providers’ assessment of the beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, the School of Dentistry addressed the beneficiaries’ oral health needs through dental examinations, tooth extractions, and fluoride applications. The examinations helped identify existing oral health concerns, while tooth extractions were performed when necessary. Child beneficiaries also received fluoride applications to help strengthen their teeth and prevent dental caries.
The initiative also aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, through the delivery of preventive and clinical healthcare services; SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, by helping expand access to healthcare among underserved beneficiaries; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, through the collaboration among UB’s participating schools, REICO, and Helping Hands
Healing Hearts Ministries Philippines Inc.
More than a one-day outreach, the Medical and Dental Mission demonstrated the value of collaboration in bringing healthcare services closer to communities. Through community-based initiatives such as this, the University of Baguio continues to extend learning beyond the classroom, bringing together education, healthcare, and service to respond to the needs of the communities it reaches.
