Members of an international surgical team composed of highly experienced surgeons and well-equipped medical specialists coming from the states of Illinois, New York, California, Texas, Florida, Utah, Montana, Arizona in U.S.A and from Australia and Russia have arrived here in Bohol via a connecting flight from Manila to Tagbilaran City yesterday morning.
The visiting surgical team, led by US-based Boholano Dr. Renato Rivera, deplaned into the Tagbilaran City Airport at 10:35 AM yesterday where they were met and personally welcomed by Philippine Gift of Life President and CEO, Mrs. Fancy S. Baluyot who is also the consultant for the province’s surgical & medical missions and consultant for the city’s health services and program, after which the team was treated by Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell “Baba” Yap to a welcome luncheon at the Bohol Tropics Resort.
The said surgical delegation conducts free surgeries for the Operation Giving Back Bohol Mission slated to start February 3 up to February 10 at the Borja Family Hospital along Gallares Street here in Tagbilaran City.
No less than 250 patients from the underprivileged socio-economic class have so far been pre-listed for the aforesaid one-week free major surgical event, but this number may change depending on the number of patients who will pass the final phase of the required diagnostic and laboratory screening.
Set to be operated on this mission are cases of hernia which include two brothers aged 53 years old and 58 years old, a 60-year-old father and his 24-year-old son, and meanwhile the youngest patient was a 9-month-old baby boy operated for spermatocele, all of whome come from Duero, Bohol, and the pre-listed oldest patient from the town of Bilar, Bohol is a 84-year-old woman with lipoma aside from the life-changing surgeries for myoma, goiter, gallbladder, breast cancer, ovarian cyst, and other medical-surgical cases.
This free major Surgical Mission is sponsored by the Provincial Government of Bohol led by Gov. Edgar Chatto and Acting Vice Gov. Venzencio Arcamo, supported by the City Government of Tagbilaran through Mayor John Geesnell Yap, Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso and City Administrator, Hon. Leonides Borja, coordinated by the Philippine Gift of Life Foundation thru Chairman, Dr. Ramie Cadag, President/CEO Mrs. Fancy Baluyot and Vice President, Rev. Fr. Victor Bompat, with the able assistance from the Borja Family Hospital thru Medical Director, Dr. Melinda Borja, the Home-Reach Foundation, Inc. through Chairman, Dr. Pepe Recitas, Co-Chairman – Dr. Ramie Cadag and Program Director, Mr. Toto Jabonillo and the Bohol Sangguniang Panlalawigan through Health Committee chair, Hon. Jade Bautista; supported the Office of the President thru Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Leoncio Evasco, Jr. and the Rotary Club of Tagbilaran – District 3860 under President, Mr. Rodolfo Pedralba, Jr. and Vice President, Engr. Victor Bantol.
This particular surgical mission will the mark the 14th time that Dr. Rivera’s team had provided free missions here in Bohol after the first 13 editions were successfully held here annually starting in the year 2005.
This week-long free surgeries will also serve as a fitting gift to the patient-beneficiaries by Gov. Chatto and Dr. Rivera who are celebrating their birthdays on February 21 and February 23 respectively.