More than a hundred Filipino doctors and operating room nurses conducted simultaneous surgical procedures nationwide to reduce a backlog of surgeries due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Ramon Inso, president of the Philippine College of Surgeons (PCS), said elective operating surgeries were limited during the height of lockdowns.
“The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic was really very deep in terms of being unable to do the surgery on patients who really need them,” he said in an interview on ABS-CBN News.
This led the PCS, its various chapters, the Philippine Society of Anesthesiologists, and the Operating Room Nurses Association of the Philippines to collaborate and hold free surgical procedures for indigent patients.
More than 80 private and public hospitals participated in the event dubbed as “National Surgical Outreach Day,” which started on Sept. 5. The simultaneous cutting was held through Zoom.
“We want to show to the world that we are doing our part as surgeons, as anesthesiologists, as operating room nurses. We are contributing to help address the unmet or neglected surgeries in the country,” Inso said. Nearly 140 surgical procedures were performed during the event.
“This is the first one that has been done and I’m not aware of any other,” he added.
Delaying surgeries for illnesses such as cancer has created a substantial impact on some of his patients’ health outcomes, Inso said.
Inso said the group plans to continue the surgical outreach. “Very successful ang undertaking (was successful). In fact, there is a plan to continue with this one. Hopefully on a yearly basis,” he said.