MISSION SUMMARY:

Date: January 2013
Location: Ormoc District Hospital, Ormoc City,Leyte, Philippines
Team Size: 24 
Length of Mission: 2 weeks
Number of Surgeries Performed: 57 major operations, 94 minor operations

 BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

ISHI conducted its third mission to the Philippines in January 2013 to Ormoc City in Leyte.. This mission was proposed by Mrs. Socorro Rogers, who has served on many ISHI Missions. Mrs. Rogers began the initial conversations with the officials at Ormoc District Hospital one year prior to the mission and identified it as a potential host hospital. As discussions and planning ensued, it was agreed that a medical team will accompany ISHI surgical team to Ormoc City enabling thus the treatment of more patients. ISHI has received generous donations of supplies and medications to support the missions from Americares, and MAP International. We have also had a donation of an electrocautery machine from Valley Lab/Americares, which we plan to donate to the host Hospital. Additionally, our wonderful volunteers and generous donors have contributed both medical supplies as well as monetary donations to support this mission. We have purchased medications from Johnson and Johnson through its Humanitarian Assistance Program at a subsidized rate. We will purchase anesthesia medications both here in the US as well as locally in Ormoc City.

 PATIENTS AND LOCATION

Public announcements were made in November and December of 2012 in the rural areas surrounding Ormoc City that the ISHI team would be conducting its surgical and missions in January 2013 at the Ormoc District Hospital. Patients were pre-screened for the surgical team by a local physician and identified to be good candidates for operation. Some of the conditions seen among these patients included thyroid goiter, chronic cholecystitis, hernia and multi-fibroid uterus. The accompanying medical team was ready to evaluate and treat about 500 patients daily, and were based in a tent outside of the main hospital building.