CAMP EVANGELISTA, Cagayan de Oro City – The 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division, Philippine Army joined the World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP) Inc. in the conduct of a free surgical operation at the JR Borja General Hospital this city on December 10-12, 2023.
The activity which was called Colostomy Freedom Project under the WSFP’s Surgical Outreach Program benefited around 30 pediatric patients coming from different areas in Northern Mindanao who suffer from colostomy problem since birth.
Mrs. Melissa Pensahan, mother of a 5-year old beneficiary from Lantapan, Bukidnon conveyed her profound thanks for giving her son a new hope to live normally through the organization’s benevolent initiative.
Moreover, Ms. Kristelle Pascual, the WSFP Executive Director said the project aims to provide free surgeries to the poor and the vulnerable sector in the country, in collaboration with its medical partners, private stakeholders and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Further, she expressed gratitude to the AFP particularly the 4ID for extending its help in transporting the medical equipment that were used during the surgical operations.
“To AFP, your help is really instrumental in the success of our projects. Without the support of AFP, we will not be able to bring the equipment, the supplies, the machines properly, and of course the safety especially that we have military personnel with us. It gives us more confidence to do the work that we want to do and we need to do for the society,” she added.
It can be recalled that the AFP had signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the WSFP on May 22, 2023 for the Surgical Outreach Program, which intends to reach more indigent patients from far flung communities needing surgical treatment.
In a statement, 4ID Commander Major General Jose Maria R. Cuerpo II expressed his enthusiasm on the said collaborative effort, saying the partnership aligns with the commitment of the 4ID to serve the community and support initiatives that greatly promotes the health and well-being of the people especially in areas where the geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas as well as the vulnerable communities are situated.
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