SAN JOSE, Antique – Thirty-seven cleft lip and cleft palate patients have availed themselves of free surgery sponsored by a nongovernment organization and the Antique provincial government.
They were not only from Antique but also from Iloilo province, said Elsie Manzanilla of the Antique Provincial Disability Affairs Office.
The PDAO coordinated with Medical Mission Matters for the operations from Nov. 24 to 28 at the Delegate Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital.
Four doctors and 12 nurses participated, said Manzanilla.
Nurses from the provincial hospital assisted in the medical mission as well.
This was already the second medical mission for cleft lip and cleft palate patients that the nongovernment organization held in Antique this year.
“The first mission was held in March,” Manzanilla said. “Since 2013 some 60 patients have benefited from the NGO’s medical mission in Antique.”
There were fewer Antiqueño patients this year “probably because of the previous years’ operations,” she noted.
Most of the Antiqueño patients this year were aged from six months to one year old, said the provincial government official.
Aside from the free surgery, the patients were provided with free postoperative medicines, food and fare to the hospital.
Laboratory exams were conducted on the patients three days prior to the surgery. (With Philippine News Agency/PN)
