The Provincial Government of Negros Oriental
will conduct a four-day medical and surgical mission at the Bayawan City
District Hospital from November 16-19, 2011.

 

This is the third round of the medical and
surgical mission under Governor Roel Ragay Degamo’s program dubbed as the Sa
Probinsiya MagDEGAMO Ta! under the health component.

 

The team already conducted medical and
surgical missions in the Siaton and Bindoy District Hospitals, respectively.

 

Governor Degamo is expected to lead the team
that will bring various medical and other services not only for the people of
Bayawan City but also for those who come from the neighboring local government
units of Santa Catalina and Basay which compose the Santa Bayabas Inter Local
Health Zone.

The services include both minor and major
surgical procedures and treatment of other eye related concerns including also the
distribution of free reading eyeglasses, tooth extraction, massage and haircut to
be rendered by members the Philippine Army.

 

It may be recalled that after he assumed
office early this year, Gov. Degamo immediately put in place various programs
under the health component of his MagDEGAMO Ta! Program and one of them is the
Mobile Surgical Team. It is tasked to conduct both minor and major surgical
missions in the different areas of the Province using the facilities of the
various Provincial Government-run hospitals.

 

The centerpiece of the above-mentioned
program is H-E-L-P or HELP—which stands for Health, Education, Livelihood
Programs and Projects for peace and development.

 

The team is composed of the medical team of
the Philippine Army, the Philippine Association of Medical Specialists (PAMS)
and the Association of Cebu Eye Specialists (ACES).

 

“Like
what I have promised when I assumed office this year, this is our way of
bringing timely necessary medical services closer to the people,” the Governor said.

 

Meanwhile, some minor changes will be made
this time in the surgical mission. The team of the ACES will arrive in Bayawan
District Hospital on November 18 to screen those who have eye related concerns
and those who need operation will come back on the 19 for the needed surgical
procedures.

 

Gov. Degamo is optimistic that the Mobile
Surgical Team will bring remedies to the sufferings of those who have illnesses
that need operation but who cannot afford to seek medical treatment.

 

He said this is their chance now as the
Provincial Government is bringing these services closer to them for free.

 

“Even
before when I was still a board member I already saw how badly these medical
services are needed by our people. And that is the reason that this is one of
the things that I immediately put in place when I became the governor of the
province,”
Gov. Degamo said.

 

The governor however clarified that this
surgical mission is only part of the wider picture that the provincial
government is implementing to address the health needs of the people.