For many residents in Cebu’s far-flung areas, surgery often comes with a heavy burden—long travel, high hospital costs, and the difficult choice of postponing treatment due to financial constraints.
This reality was once again highlighted during the recent three-day Capitol Medical and Surgical Mission in Argao town, where dozens of patients finally underwent long-delayed procedures at no cost.
A total of 54 patients received cataract and pterygium surgeries free of charge under the Cebu Provincial Government’s outreach program.
Without the initiative, many of the beneficiaries would have needed to travel to tertiary hospitals in Cebu City, where eye surgeries can cost tens of thousands of pesos per procedure.
Provincial estimates showed that the free operations helped patients avoid around P2.3 million in combined medical expenses.
Based on PhilHealth package rates, cataract surgery without lens replacement costs about P20,000 per eye, while pterygium removal is estimated at around P15,000.
In private hospitals, costs can rise significantly, reaching P20,000 to P50,000 for cataract cases and P15,000 to P30,000 for pterygium operations.
The medical outreach is part of ongoing healthcare programs under the administration of Governor Pamela Baricuatro, aimed at bringing essential services closer to underserved communities.
Beyond eye care, the Capitol medical team also performed 162 major and minor surgeries during the mission, including hernia repairs, gallbladder operations, goiter removals, and gynecological procedures.
Hundreds of residents were also served through outpatient consultations and diagnostic services such as X-rays, electrocardiograms, and blood chemistry tests.
A total of 303 individuals underwent eye screening, while 277 pairs of eyeglasses were distributed to patients needing visual correction.
Dental services were also provided, with 280 procedures completed, alongside HIV screening for 169 individuals as part of the province’s public health initiatives.
Despite the wide range of services, Capitol Piso Health Consultant Dr. Nikki Catalan said medical missions remain only temporary interventions.
She said long-term improvement depends on strengthening provincial hospitals.
“The permanent fix,” she said, “lies in upgrading Capitol-run hospitals until they acquire the capability to conduct complex procedures on their own every day.” (SBA)
Photo courtesy of Cebu Province
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