‘Halad sa Tawi-Tawi’ surgical mission
DESPITE the recent bombing and threats in Jolo, the capital of Sulu, Southern Philippines Medical Center, together with Halad Mission Group Foundation of Mati and Social Concerns Foundation Davao held a free surgical mission in Tawi-Tawi on Feb. 9 to 14, 2019. Tawi-Tawi is hardly accessible and it is difficult for their hospital to attend to all patients due to its lack of medical equipment, medicine, and healthcare staff. Thus, this surgical and cataract mission is a real blessing to the patients and residents of the province. “The only way for them to go to the hospital is through riding a boat, since their municipalities are scattered in islands. It is really difficult for them whenever they have emergencies. It takes sixteen hours for them to go to Zamboanga by boat and taking a plane would be too expensive,” Dr. Rolley Rey Lobo said.
There are about 250 patients catered to by the volunteers of each institution led by Dr. Lobo at the Datu Halun Sakilan Memorial Hospital. Eighty-seven of them were minor cases, eye surgery patients, thyroid cases, cleft lip and palate cases, twenty patients were given pediatric clinic consultations and patients with stat cases attended to. “The mission was a success. We are happy that the people in Tawi-Tawi were very thankful because we were able to help and serve them. We have seen that the people there still think positively despite what they are going through in life,” Dr. Lobo added. This surgical mission wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Mayor Inday Sara Duterte Carpio, Philippine Air Force, 2nd Marine Brigade, Congresswoman Hja Ruby Sahali, Governor Rashidin Matba, Mayor
Yshamel Mang Sali, Mayor Regie-Sahali-Generale of P. Sugala, Mayor Jimwell Que of Bongao, Dr. Sangkula Laha the Provincial Health Officer of TawiTawi and all the HALAD volunteer doctors, nurses, pharmacist and nursing attendants.