BY YOLANDA Z. SOTELO

INSTEAD of their white uniforms, medical doctors, nurses and all employees of the Region I Medical Center will don flaming red Santa Claus attires on December 22. And instead of treating patients and dispensing medicines, they will be giving food packs and gifts to all the patients at the hospital.

Dr. Jesus Canto, the jolly chief of the RIMC, said it will be a whole day party at the hospital. Benefactors will be donating the gifts and the food and that the medical personnel will just accompany them as they go from ward to ward.

Canto told me that the RIMC chose Santa Claus as its motif this December to show the people that the hospital has been acting like the Christmas icon of sorts which generously offers medical procedures for free to those needing them.

The RIMC is conducting year-round medical programs for the poor like the Text a Doctor, free harelip operation and medical and surgical missions.

The Text A Doctor is a project by which those unable to seek medical treatment because of poverty can send a text message to Canto or other doctors working at the hospital to inform them of their condition. Canto and the doctors will visit the patient to assess if he or she may avail of free medical attention such as surgery, medical procedures, hospitalization, and medicines.

The free harelip operation, undertaken in cooperation with the Philippine Bond of Mercy and other benefactors. has already helped more than 100 persons afflicted wth harelip or cleft palate, Canto said.

The medical missions, on the other hand, are undertaken by Filipino-American doctors based in the United States . Several medical and surgical missions were conducted this year while four groups of Fil-Am doctors are coming for missions in February, Canto said.

One medical mission will be here on February 3-29, to be followed by another group from February11-17 and yet another group from February 21-28.

Canto said some 2,000 patients are expected to benefit from minor and major surgeries during the entire month.

Businessman Ashok Vasandani will donate the gifts to be given on December 22 to some 300 patients confined at the hospital and 100 persons with disabilities from a facility of the Department of Social Works and Development.

Several accomplished ladies from the city –Loreta Arzadon, Reggie Zaplan, Edith Coquia, Gertrudes Samson and Malou Balingit – will donate the food for breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner.

Last Wednesday, some 100 cancer patients already received their gifts from different benefactors.

If you happen to visit the RIMC these days, Santa Clauses of different sizes and forms adorn the wards and offices of the hospital. One is atop a carabao, one a baby in a crib, another dancing and singing, and another is a very old Santa. A 14-foot high is stationed at the top of the hospital’s main door.

Since last week, a “tiangge” is being held at the hospital’s yard, proceeds of which will be used to buy medicines for poor patients..

So folks, instead of doctors and nurses in their stiff white uniforms, you would find them donning red (and white) uniforms on December 22.