St. Luke’s opens human sexuality clinic

Openly talking about sex is taboo in Philippine society. Because of this, Filipinos have to suffer in silence and have to be content with doing their own research about their sex problems.

There is now a place where they can see trained medical professionals for their sexual problems at the St. Luke’s Medical Center.

Like the problem that it tackles, the St. Luke’s Human Sexuality Clinic quietly opened its doors last February.

It is headed by Dr. Agnes Bueno, who got training at Washington University School of Medicine and who spent time in sex therapy training with Dr. William Masters, who has conducted in-depth researches on human sexuality.

She also teaches human sexuality at St. Luke’s College of Medicine-William H. Quasha Memorial and is well-known in the lecture circuit on human sexuality.

"St. Luke’s has always been the leader in many medical fields and I am just continuing this tradition with the opening of this clinic," Bueno said.

"This will also be a good venue for me to start my researches on the various aspects of Filipino sexuality," she added.

The Human Sexuality Clinic will cater to problems like sexual desire disorders, sexual aversion disorders, sexual arousal disorders, orgasmic disorders, sexual pain disorders, sexual dysfunction in medical illness, and a whole range of other problems that have to do with human sexuality.

"Patients are embarrassed to talk about their sexual problems with their doctors," Bueno said. "So now, there is a clinic where they can openly discuss their problems."

The clinic will work closely with other institutes and departments at St. Luke’s to ensure that patients receive world-class quality care expected from the facility.

These collaborations cover areas such as obstetrics and gynecology, urology, neurology, plastic reconstructive surgery, diabetology and psycho oncology.

"There are many reasons why a person suffers from sexuality problems. They could be medical, they could be psychological," she said. "Each case will be assessed very carefully so that the right recommendations and referrals can be made."

Bueno’s primary targets are women who are ashamed and afraid of discussing their sexual problems publicly.

It is the women, she said, who are afraid to express themselves when it comes to their intimate problems to the point that they get physically sick.

"Society does not treat women equally when it comes to sex and I want to elevate women from their situation of being sex objects," Bueno said.

"I want our Filipino women to express their sexuality openly because they, too, are entitled to their own happiness, even when it comes to sex," she said.

So far, Bueno’s patients include married couples who have difficulties performing their marital duties to each other, women who have problems with their orgasms, and referrals from other departments.

"This entity is a breakthrough in this field of medicine," she said.

For more information on the St. Luke’s Human Sexuality Clinic, call 723-0101 local 2217 or 6501.