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For the first time, the St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine-William H. Quasha Memorial sent a delegation to the 2021 conference of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) – a global network of over 170 academic institutions and other organizations from around the world engaged in addressing global health challenges.

Annually held in the United States, this year’s conference was delivered virtually on March 12-14, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven papers produced by students and faculty as part of the new Global Health track under the Service Learning Elective were presented.

• Rapid Assessment of the State of Overseas Filipino Workers Across the Migration Cycle during the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Princess Maureen D. Tanaka, Gerard Anne April M Ona, Ramon Lorenzo Luis R. Guinto, MD DrPH

• Investigating the Commercial Determinants of COVID-19 in the Philippines

Dianne Cunanan, Claisyl Casiwan, Lennie Jean Daluz, Ramon Lorenzo Luis R. Guinto, MD DrPH

• Unpacking the COVID-19 Infodemic in the Philippines: The Case of Steam Inhalation Therapy

Kristine Bernadette Matibag, Danielle Rose Paitan, Ramon Lorenzo Luis R. Guinto, MD DrPH

• Medical Education in the Philippines Beyond COVID-19: A Futures Thinking Approach

Arianna Diangkinay, John Lorenzo Hanrahan, Ramon Lorenzo Luis R. Guinto, MD DrPH

• Landscape Analysis of Healthcare Worker Discrimination in the Philippines during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abbie Grace M. Olea, Mary Deo Luigi J. Mabunay, Ramon Lorenzo Luis R. Guinto, MD DrPH

• The Power of Subtlety: Investigating the Potential Application of Behavioral Nudges During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Philippines

Mary Eunice D. Agapito, Theo Erl E. Avila, Ramon Lorenzo Luis R. Guinto, MD DrPH

• An Online COVID-19-Focused Team-Based Global Health Elective for Interns at the St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine in the Philippines

Ramon Lorenzo Luis R. Guinto, MD DrPH

The projects were produced by senior and junior interns as part of the new global health course under the Service Learning Elective. Entitled “COVID-19 Action Lab: An Introduction to Global Health Thinking,” the course enabled medical students to learn the rudiments of global health thinking and use global health frameworks and tools to analyze an issue related to the COVID-19 pandemic – the grandest global health challenge of our time.

The course was delivered by Dr. Renzo Guinto, inaugural director of the College’s Planetary and Global Health Program and Associate Professor of the Practice of Global Public Health in the Department of Professionalism, Medical Ethics and Humanities.

“St. Luke’s is committed to participating in critical discussions about pressing global health issues of our time,” described Dr. Guinto. “We plan to be part of international communities such as CUGH and the participation of our stellar students is just the first step in our growing global health engagement.”

The students who participated in the virtual conference also shared their personal reflections.

Dianne Cunanan, junior intern: “CUGH 2021 provided me an avenue for exchanging ideas and building connections with fellow students all over the world. I am excited to share what I learned with my fellow Filipinos, especially my classmates in St. Luke’s. It is an honor to have represented St. Luke’s—and the Philippines—in this international research conference. I am grateful for this opportunity as it rekindled my love for research.”

Mary Eunice Agapito, senior intern: “It was a wonderful experience to be able to present our study to a wide range of audience. I never expected that I will be given this chance – to be part of an international convention – even in the middle of a pandemic! I also realized how dedicated people are from around the world when it comes to improving global health. I was extremely inspired.”

In addition to the aforementioned projects, Dr. Guinto also spoke in a panel entitled “Global Health Educational Experiences in the COVID-19 Era: Re-envisioning Academia and Virtual Community Partnerships” organized by Child Family Health International (CFHI), a nongovernmental organization promoting socially responsible global health education around the world.

The new global health course is offered by the College’s new Planetary and Global Health Program, whose vision is to become a leading center of planetary and global health education, research, and translation in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia by 2030. For more information about the program, visit https://st-lukes.kestrel-prod.com/academics/global-health/.