This non-profit travels by foot and air to provide free healthcare to hard-to-reach areas

In areas without access to proper medical care, simple illnesses like the cold can turn into a deadly disease. As a way to respond to this, Remote Area Medical Philippines travels far and wide, visiting far-flung areas at the country’s margins, to provide free healthcare to people who would otherwise be forced to go without.

A subsidiary of Remote Area Medical, RAM Philippines started working in 2013 to help the survivors of Typhoon Yolanda, a disaster that killed thousands. Many people from affected areas were not given immediate relief after the storm because of how inaccessible their locations were. Seeing that, RAM Philippines volunteers went to work.

Traveling to the areas would often be an extremely strenuous affair, like their 12-hour journey to Tagapul-an, Samar, where just reaching the area entailed flying to Tacloban, driving to the dock for 5 hours, and sailing on a public boat.

It takes hours to reach our remote clinic. In this case, Tagapul-an Samar, it takes 12 hrs to reach the island community. 2 hrs flight to Tacloban, 5 hrs road trip and 5 hr public boat ride. #remotemedicine #globalhealth #islandcommunities #helpingothers

A post shared by Remote Area Medical PH (@remoteareamedicalph) on Jul 6, 2018 at 3:02am PDT

To Stan Brock, the founder of Remote Area Medical, inaccessibility to medical care hits close to home: he started the organization after he sustained an injury in Guyana, South America and could not receive immediate help as he would have to travel 26 days to reach the nearest medical center. Experiencing first-hand how fatal a lack to medical care could be, he vowed to provide medical aid to the world’s most hard-to-reach areas.

As hard-to-reach areas without medical access are also where the country’s poor and disadvantaged lie, RAM Philippines makes sure that they’re reaching those living below the poverty line, who need the free healthcare the most.

Remote Area Medical Philippines started using the Poverty Probability Index to measure our poverty reach in the community that we serve. From our latest clinic, it showed that 24% of the households in Del Pilar, Quezon are below the $3.20/day poverty line. And that RAM reached a higher proportion of the poor than the CALABARZON area in which the regional poverty rate which is 9.4%.#ppi #globalhealth #marginalizedcommunities #remotecommunities

A post shared by Remote Area Medical PH (@remoteareamedicalph) on Jul 13, 2018 at 2:21am PDT

RAM Philippines also targets marginalized communities like the Mangyans of Mindoro, who are isolated from proper health care systems.

RAM Philippines third mission was held in Mansalay, Mindoro where we served the Mangyans. The Mangyans are part of the indigenous peoples and they are the first settlers in the region but they are now considered the minority hence lacking adequate medical care. Imagine carrying this baby for 3 hours just to see a doctor. We are just so humbled by the Mangyans resilience and patience. Thanks @dekedeguia for the 📸 #remoteareamedicalphilippines #mansalay #mangyans #medicaloutreach #thelastmile ##health #globalhealth #philippines #charity #healthforall #cutebabies #ramphilippines #ramph

A post shared by Remote Area Medical PH (@remoteareamedicalph) on Oct 2, 2017 at 7:58am PDT

Their outreach even took them all the way to war-torn Marawi, which was besieged last year by Maute terrorists.

Araw Ng Kagitingan – Day of Valor Let’s continue to support the children of Marawi so they will have this innate valor to face their challenges. Let’s help them rebuild their homes. #bangonmarawi #childrenofmarawi #nowinnersinwar #ourchildrenourfuture #idps #internallydisplacedpeople

A post shared by Remote Area Medical PH (@remoteareamedicalph) on Apr 8, 2018 at 7:16am PDT

 

If you want to donate or volunteer for Remote Area Medical Philippines, you can visit their website, Facebook page, or Instagram account.

 

Featured photo courtesy of the Remote Area Medical Philippines Facebook page.

Get more stories like this by subscribing to our weekly newsletter here.

Read more:

Why education—in a good environment—is the solution to poverty
Can the Philippines become poverty-free by 2040?
#HelpIsHere: Mental healthcare is now more accessible to the Filipinos

Writer: ZOFIYA KARENINA ACOSTA