This article was written by Jeanie Uy, PentaTr@ining delegate, Philippine General Hospital, Manila (PGH), Paediatric Infectious Disease Society Of The Philippines (PIDSP). It is taken from the Penta 2025 Annual Report.
Participating in the PIDSP-PentaTr@ining programme in Manila was a profound eye-opener. Since completing the course, our professional practice has shifted toward a much higher awareness of both local and international guidelines, particularly regarding the details of managing paediatric HIV and congenital infections.
The programme provided invaluable competencies in new drugs and diagnostics. Hearing international experts discuss their home-base protocols – and what is on the horizon for the Philippines – was incredibly empowering.
In the Philippines, we face significant hurdles: devolved healthcare leading to fragmented management, limited access to diagnostics in rural areas, and the challenge where a lack of paediatric formulations adds financial and logistical strain on families. PentaTr@ining helped us tackle these by providing standardised, evidence-based frameworks that simplify decision-making, even in resource-limited settings. By bridging the gap between global innovation and local needs, the training ensures we aren’t just identifying cases, but managing them with the best tools available.
What makes PentaTr@ining special is its regional relevance; it is specifically tailored to the rising HIV rates in our paediatric population. Personally, the most significant impact has been the global network we’ve built. From the months of collaborative planning to sharing cultural perspectives on medicine, these connections have turned a complex medical challenge into a shared mission. It isn’t just a course; it’s a lifeline for our region.