TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan – Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) has inked a memorandun of agreement with Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines (EBFP).
On November 25, Chief and President of EBFP Dra. Dominga Minguita Padilla said that Tuguegarao City has made a great choice and it will help not only the patients but this is a big step for the region. In her keynote speech, she said that Corneal Opacity is the 5th leading cause of visual impairement with a 0.09 percent or 100,080 Filipinos. “Worldwide, it is estimated that 10 million people need Corneal transplants every year”, she added.
Also, 150,000 transplants are actually done in the world each year and most countries has no eyebanks.
Padilla said that 500 to 800 transplants a year are being done in the country but require 2000.
Meanwhile, CVMC Medical Chief Dr. Glen Matthew Baggao said that this would be their step in becoming the eye bank center in the region.
The eye/cornea retrieval office was also inaugurated.
