Health checkup sought for lumad evacuees

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Philippines – A non-government organization has urged the government to provide regular medical and mental checkups to more than 3,000 lumad evacuees staying at a sports complex in this city and a gym in Marihatag town in this province.

Julie Caguiat, chief of the Community Medicine Development Foundation Inc., said on Friday that aside from physical illnesses such as diarrhea, pneumonia, sore eyes and respiratory and digestive diseases, there is a need to check on the mental health of the lumads.

The lumads fled from their homes after two of their leaders and a school official were killed by paramilitary  forces in September.

Caguiat said no psychiatrist, psychologist or any expert on mental health has visited the lumads since their arrival at the evacuation centers.