By Minerva BC Newman
LAPU-LAPU CITY— Nearly 200 underprivileged children and adults were given free surgical treatments during a medical mission at the Lapu-Lapu district hospital over the weekend.
The mission was carried out by the World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP) and the City Health Office through the initiative of the Megawide Corporate Foundation Inc. (Megawide Foundation) and GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC).
(MegaWide Foundation / MANILA BULLETIN)
Megawide Foundation chief operating officer Shiela Lyn Nawata said the mission was supported by the Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital, Cebu Pacific Air and PS Baltazar Building and Architecture.
Nawata said the foundation is proud to partner with GMCAC and the WSFP in bringing first-world surgical care to the people of Lapu-Lapu.
GMCAC Chief Executive Advisor Andrew Harrison, on the other hand, said they are privileged to work with Megawide Foundation and WSFP on its first surgical mission in the city.
The WSFP president, pediatric surgeon Dr. Marcus Lester Suntay who headed the WSFP contingent, said they saw they could make a big difference in Lapu-Lapu.
“There are a lot of people who cannot afford surgical treatment, or who find it hard to have to go to Cebu City for these kinds of procedures, so we are bringing this service to them,” Suntay said.
Nawata said the mission carried out 173 minor and 47 major surgeries.
Suntay said the youngest patient was 9 months old and the oldest was 72 years old.
The team had 52 volunteers, with 25 of them surgeons.
Suntay said his group will continue to help the hospital develop its medical to surgical units through its 5-10year plan.