Cebu medics leave for Leyte papal visit

CEBU, Philippines - A medical response team from Cebu yesterday left for Eastern Visayas to augment standby health professionals for the visit of Pope Francis.

Department of Health-Central Visayas has sent a six-man team composed of doctors and nurses.

Likewise, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center has deployed an 11-man team to aid medical responders in Tacloban City in time for the Holy Mass to be led by the pontiff.

Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit-7 chief Dr. Dino Caing is leading the DOH-7 team while VSMMC team is led by hospital’s Health Emergency Management Staff chief Dr. Joseph Alesna.

“We are a team of two doctors and four nurses. We are bringing medical supplies and medicines, two vehicles. Hopefully we will be back for Sinulog to augment medical response in Cebu,” Caing told The Freeman.

Caing added that all team members, including himself, are Warays and have personally experienced the wrath of super typhoon Yolanda in Eastern Visayas.

“Most of the team are from Tacloban. There is one nurse who was in Ormoc when Yolanda visited us. I guess this is sort of redemption and closure for us with the Papal blessings,” Caing said.

Caing and his team left Cebu for Tacloban via Ormoc yesterday.

With them is DOH Area Cluster Assistant Secretary for Visayas Dr. Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial.

Moreover, the 11-man team from VSMMC is composed of one cardiologist, one neurologist, one anesthesiologist, three members TCVS (Thoracic and Cardio-Vascular Surgery) group, three stroke group members, chief of internal medicine Dr. Regina Melodia and Dr. Alesna.

The VSMMC team’s travel order is effective yesterday until January 18.

Meanwhile, local health authorities are on code white in anticipation for surge of people and emergencies during the Sinulog Festival.

The VSMMC has been under code white from January 10 to 20.

DOH operation center under HEMS will also be under code white from January 17 to 18. — (FREEMAN)