A week-long eye care mission spearheaded by prominent figures in the Bangsamoro government concluded on Saturday, benefitting thirty-six ophthalmic patients, including some with squint-eye conditions.
Led by Regional Parliament Member Kadil Monera Sinolinding Jr. and Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, the outreach initiative catered to marginalized patients from diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds across Central Mindanao. Many underwent free cataract and pterygium surgeries, facilitated by volunteers from the Deseret Ambulatory Referral Center.
Sinolinding, a trained ophthalmologist with experience in India, has been actively involved in eye care missions since his appointment to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region interim parliament in August 2022. These efforts align with the healthcare priorities of the region, led by Chairman Ebrahim of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Among the beneficiaries was Bernie Garde, a 49-year-old farmer from President Roxas town, Cotabato, who expressed gratitude for the treatment that corrected his left eye deformity.
Looking ahead, Sinolinding aims to extend assistance to an additional 100 impoverished patients following the conclusion of the Islamic Ramadhan fasting season.
