NOTE: This story was first published in The Bohol Chronicle’s Sunday print edition.
Bohol will bring its “care for the weak” pillar advocacy to an unprecedented scale in a “world cataract operation” to be performed in the province by 100 eye surgeons from different countries in July.
The Philippine Gift of Life (PGL) headed by President/Chief Executive Officer Francisca Baluyot and provincial government led by Gov. Arthur Yap are, again, partnering in this biggest surgical mission ever.
The massive free eye operation targets 5,000 cataract patients, according to the PGL which is the province’s most accomplished surgical mission facilitator partner.
Baluyot cited in her letter to Yap the PGL partnership with the Capitol as she hoped both “once again support this First World Cataract Operation.”
PGL consultant Dr. Federico Malubay said the World Ophthalmology Congress in California, USA in January had approved the donation of 5,000 eye medical supplies to the Philippines.
The big aid package would be coursed through the PGL, which is based in Bohol.
Baluyot broke the “great news” to Yap that it was thereafter decided by the global ophthalmology association to conduct its first international eye mission in the Philippines, particularly in Tagbilaran City.
Actual operations will be done at the Borja Family Hospital from July 13 to 22, the later date falling on the very anniversary of the founding of Bohol as a province.
Bohol, through the PGL, earlier asked Dr. Jeff Levenson, international chief medical officer of the Surgical Eye Expeditions (SEE), for only 1,000 eye medical supplies for the July 2020 mission.
The request was coursed through Malubay, also the outreach program chairman of the Philippine Medical Association (P{MA).
Levenson was in Bohol during the massive free eye operation in July last year and was “so overwhelmed by the very successful mission, the first in his life,” Baluyot said.
Baluyot told Yap the Philippine team of eye specialist doctors will also participate in the cataract mission, which can be the biggest not just in Bohol but the country.
A yet unconfirmed report said that in that event, Bohol may even attempt to establish a world record for most number of performing doctors and operated patients in a singular eye surgical mission.
International and national televisions have been invited to document the mission, which may have “some very important personalities from Malacañang” at the opening or culmination.
Patients will register at the P{GL Office, old capitol complex until march 31. They can contact the office at (038)501-9196.
To regain the vision and hope of 5,000 sight patients, some Boholanos have this early loved labeling the coming great mission “eye care for you,” obviously referring to a standout capitol service cause.
“Care for the weak” is one of the pillar advocacies of the Yap administration.
But while a surgical mission is curative, the governor has at the same time programmed a Bohol-wide barangay-based intervention focusing on the ailment-preventive side of health. (Ven rebo Arigo)