Pepito Tina
It started with a foot wound. Pepito Tiña was worried enough to visit a private hospital near his home in Davao City, Philippines, where his blood glucose levels were checked, and he was diagnosed with diabetes.
The first wound healed slowly, and then a second – the result of stepping on a screw in the tire repair shop where he worked – got worse. That was when Ruth Peñero, a barangay (village) health worker, arrived at his door. She told him about a new service offered each Friday at Puan Health Centre: Diabetes and Heart Day, where he could receive care for his foot, and education about how to manage his diabetes and prevent further injuries.
He went, and soon became a staff favourite. Myra Pacita Milano, a midwife, who also provides footcare at the clinic, treated his wound and cut a hole in his rubber sandal to relieve the pressure while it healed. His foot quickly improved, as did the blood sugar levels recorded in his journal.
“I live near here, but I never took the time to visit. I’m grateful to Miss Ruth and Miss Myra for telling me about the programme,” he says.
“I was scared, but the people here helped me overcome my fears,” he adds. “I learned how to eat better, how to take care of my foot. Before, it was a very big wound. Now it feels better.”
Puan Health Center, along with 47 other health centers in the Southern Philippines, offers diabetes footcare thanks to a World Diabetes Foundation partnership project. Visit the WDF website to learn more.
