The Philippine Island of Negros was identified to be a medically underserved region and ISHI was welcomed to conduct a surgical mission there, with the collaboration of Hon. Governor Alfredo Maranon and local governmental officials. This was ISHI's first surgical mission to Asia and we were hosted by two hospitals, one in Escalante City and the other in Sagay City. The main industry in this region is sugarcane production, hence many of our patients were either the factory workers, or their family members. As we learned, healthcare in the Philippines is fee for service and surgical care was unaffordable for many of these workers, whose wages are about a dollar a day.
Fishing village near Cadiz in the northern part of Negro Occidental province where ISHI operated during its mission.
Student nurses were involved in assisting ISHI surgeons in the triage area, in the Operating Room, in the recovery room and the minor procedure areas. ISHI strive to involve and train local medical personel on every mission.
MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE MISSION:
ISHI surgeons closing the skin after removing a large tumor from the right thigh of an adolescent patient.
ISHI volunteers brought all necessary medical supplies and medications for use in the operating rooms and recovery areas. Anesthetics, IV fluids and narcotic pain medications were purchased locally with the aid of the hospital officials. Three cardiac moniters were brought for use during the mission and brought back to the US afterwards. All unused medications and supplies were donated to the hospitals for their use. ATLS manuals which were donated by the American College of Surgeons were also distributed to the hospitals. Two lectures were given, one at each hospital, on "Assessment of the Trauma patient". The lectures were very well attended- both by hospital staff and nursing students.
OUR PATIENTS
Dr. Leonard Mason removing a soft tissue mass on a patient’s back in the minor procedure area using local anesthesia, Vincente Gustilo Hospital.
About 140 operations were completed during our mission (80 in Escalante and 50 in Sagay). Our patients were all from the local areas and had responded positively to the extensive publicity that our team would be arriving to provide free surgeries. Surgeries provided included hernia repairs, soft tissue mass excisions, hysterectomies, colostomy reversal and treatment of conditions such as breast cancer, undescended testicle and many others. Patients stayed free of charge in the hospital perioperatively, and all of their medications were provided to them by ISHI.
MISSION VOLUNTEERS
ISHI team during a courtesy visit at the Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo G. Maranon office. The team was comprised of Anesthesia: Marcelino Potian MD Margaret Rathbun, cRNA, Nursing: Alison Baker RN, Cathy Blaskewicz APN, Emilia Wasczyck RN, Mae Tingson RN, Socorro Rogers RN, Irene Banares RN, Surgeons: Kevin Clarke MD, Ziad Sifri MD, Leonard Mason MD, Asha Bale MD, David Livingston MD, Devashish Anjaria MD, Photography: Vishnu Hoff, Artist: Debbie Livingston. Our team operated the first week in Escalante, at Vincent Gustilo Hospital, and during the second week, in Sagay at Alfredo Maranon Hospital.
Accomplishments
140 operations were completed: hernia repairs, excision of soft tissue masses, hysterectomy, colostomy reversal and operations for the treatment of breast cancer, and undescended testicle.
An in depth lecture was given to the staff of each hospital regarding Basic Trauma Assessment, and ATLS manuals were distributed.
53 local nursing students received training on OR procedures and techniques by ISHI senior nurses.
