UMINGAN MEDICAL VISION MISSION

A free optical mission was held last January 20-24, 2010 at the Municipality of Umingan. The five-day optical mission is intended to deliver free vision services to the underprivileged people of Umingan wherein the indigent population will receive free eye examination, graded eyeglasses, eye medications and cataract and pterygium surgeries. Barangay Don Montano, La Paz, San Juan, Ricos and Amaronan were the host barangays for the said optical mission.

A mobile clinic was brought to the five host barangays where eye examination was being conducted by the 30 member medical team from EyeCare WeCare Foundation headed by Dr. James Weyrich, OD, President of EyeCare WeCare Foundation, Washington, USA. Volunteers from the Rural Health Unit and the Young Organization of Umingan as well as the different Barangay Councils were also present to provide assistance during the mission. A surgical operation was simultaneously conducted at the Umingan Community Hospital by the Resources for the Blind, Inc. under the supervision of Ms. Maria Victoria Victorino, Project Coordinator for Cataract Surgery and Dr. Ralph Asuncion of the Lion’s Club, City of San Fernando, La Union.

There were about 1, 407 people who were seen and provided eyeglasses for during the five-day mission and a total of 23 cataract surgery and 11 pterygium surgeries performed.

This free Medical Vision Mission was made possible through the efforts of Mr. Danny Aguilar, an Engineer at Bausch and Lomb, USA and a true blooded Uminganian in cooperation with the Local Government of Umingan headed by Hon. Eldred P. Tumbocon and Mr. Arjo Brian M. Victoria, Project Coordinator, Aberdeen Washington, USA Lions Club, Resources for the Blind Inc., Bausch and Lomb Foundation, EyeCare WeCare Foundation, Family Federation of World Peace, Negros Navigation and Lions Club, City of San Fernando, La Union.