Doc Ahmad Hajiri

I highly support the notion of providing free hospitalizations for the really indigent people, but here are some interesting points for discussion: 1) If ever the government will pay for the hospitalization of the poor, how are they going to choose whom to provide the free services? Should they just accept everyone who claims, as said in this article, those who will come and say "I am poor, if I don't have a disease, then look for one that I might have."? I seriously don't think that is the best way to give free services. Yes, if the government could provide these necessary services to its poor people for free, then by all means, it should be done. But critical PRIORITIZATION of patients should be in place. I mean, the number of those who actually don't need this service greatly outnumbers those who really need them. 2) How much are we willing to spend for the "poor"? Are the tax-paying citizens willing to pay for the likes of those chronic alcoholics an...

“Tell me about yourself.” Our professor asked us before beginning our case discussions. My group mates started by telling their names and then their future careers (future Neurologist, Surgeon, Medical Oncologist, etc.) until it reached my turn. I was still unsure what “specialty” I will go into, so I just answered the question with what I can think of best: “I am Ahmad from Sulu. I love to travel and do photography. My dream one day is to publish my novels.” “Oh, I have been to Sulu a lot of times,” said our professor who is a practicing surgical oncologist in PGH, “my last trip there though was in 1996.” “Ma sha Allah, really sir? That’s nice sir! What did you do there, sir?” “We stayed and volunteered in IPHO-Sulu. Did a lot of charity services doing surgeries for free.” H mentioned names of some Tausug surgeons back then, some I knew by name some I don’t. I was somehow elated to find out that another great physician have visited my dear homeland before. “It was...

Nagbustak na isab sin dum limabay yaun.  Makusug in bustak bat najugjug in bay namu' kailu. Laung sin kaybanan ha gimba, laung sin kaybanan ha Brigade sin Marines.  Way pa agun miyabut hangka-adlaw in haylaya puasa, awn na magtuy nagbustak. Mayta na baha' in hula' ini? b Misan bulan puasa wayruun nila ra liyappas, masi-masi ra in paghilu-hala' nila. Hambuuk adlaw awn nagbustak didtu ha tungud public hospital, ha waiting shed, ha guwa’. Maynaat pa kunu’ yadtu sung na pagsusuwd sin kabataan pa iskul. Awn nahalul duwa atawa tuw. Awn pa agi bata’-bata’ kunu’ sung paiskul in hambuuk nalapay. Agi isab sin kaibanan, nawafat da kunu’ kailu in hambuuk, amun timitindug-tindug ha lugal-lugal yadtu. In kainu-inuhan isab sin mga tau, angay-angay isab in lugal yaun kiyalawaan pulis-sundalu ha adlaw yadtu. Laung ha gimuwa’ news ha National TV in target kunu’ pabustakan in mga marines sundalu pasal masuuk man yaun ha campo nila. In nagpabustak kunu “Abus” na isab. In tau ra...

You walked in the busy streets of Manila and you saw a young child lying asleep on a dirty alley by the side of the road, with an empty plastic cup on his one hand and the other, empty-handed (dirty, rugged) begging for at least a coin from your purse. You never heard him ask for money, you did not have to look at his sleeping eyes, for at first glance you felt some pity on him. You stopped and checked your pocket or your purse full of extra coins. Maybe you can spare some money for him, so that he can buy some bread to get by. Maybe will give more than you thought you can. After all, you can easily find money from your salaries, or your personal businesses, or your monthly stipends. The next day on that same road, you saw him again, on that same location, wearing the same ragged, unkempt shirt. This time he had with him a younger child with him, crying. This time your heart was crushed two-fold. How could this happen? How could their parents leave them here? You cannot fathom...

"Parang tiwala  pag namantsahan na! Mahirap nang linisin pa, di kayang burahin Kahit na anong gawin...! " Isa ito sa mga paborito kong linya sa kanta ng Parokya ni Edgar, "Choco Latte". Tungkol ito sa isang bagay na dapat ay pinaka-iingat-ingatan natin lahat: TIWALA. Naalala ko isang tahimik na gabi habang nagbabasa ako sa aking maliit na cotbed sa isng barko patungong Zamboanga (ayan, kwentuhan muna tayo)... Habang hinihintay na magsimulang tumulak ang barko, naisip kong bumili ng ilang makakain (pabaon). Dumaan yaring bata na nagbebenta ng sari-saring pagkain, Itlog at Junay*, Patulakan at Daral (mga tausug foods), tsaka sari-saring botelya ng mineral water, "Sting" at kalamansi juice. Bumili ako sa kanya ng ilang pagkain na hindi siguro umabot ng 50peso na halaga, at binigyan ko siya ng 200peso na pera, pambayad. (kayo na bahala sa Mathematics) "kah wayruun kanat-kanat mu?" nagtanong siya kung may barya ba ako na mas maliit sa 200. "A...