By Emmanuel D. Taghoy
IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay – The Maharlika Charity Foundation Inc. has again conducted free cleft
lip and palate operations here during the 14th Araw ng Sibugay last
Feb. 23-25.
Around 89 patients coming
from the different towns of Zamboanga Sibugay province turned up to avail
themselves of said services dubbed “Operation Smile Train.”
“We are overwhelmed by the
large crowd who came to register. We have only expected around 40 patients to
arrive since it was just very recently that the same operation was conducted
here,” said Dr. Arthur Luspo, hospital chief of Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial
Hospital.
The first “Operation Smile
Train” conducted in June 2014 was able to cater to 97 patients, the highest
number of cleft patients the Maharlika Foundation had ever served in the
country.
Three surgeons, two
anesthesiologists from Davao City and one anesthesiologist of the provincial
hospital conducted the operations with local nurses and volunteers assisting.