GOVPH

Fred Hollows Foundation supports monitoring of DOH's Community Eye Health Program in Quezon Province

 Representatives from the Fred Hollows Foundation, headed by Maria Victoria Rondaris, MD, MPH Country Manager, together with the Quezon Integrated Provincial Health Office led by Ma. Monica Roma E. Monsanto, CEHP Coordinator conducted a Community Eye Health Program (CEHP) visit and monitoring at Quezon Province last March 24-25, 2022. Dr. Rondaris was accompanied by Ms. Helen Piana, CEHP Program Manager; and Ms. Suzette Gellangcanao, Program Officer; and Christlyne Managaba. The activity intended to give program updates regarding the implementation of the Department of Health’s (DOH) CEHP, which the Foundation has supported since 2019. The team together with Nurse Eusylda U. Carandang, Division Eye Focal Person, visited the 10 partner-Optometrists in Mauban, Lucban, Candelaria, Sariaya, Atimonan, and Lucena. This activity aimed to capture new learnings and best practices that will serve as inspiration for other provinces to emulate as they expand in the future the DOH’s CEHP program implementation as part of the national prevention of blindness program. The Division of Quezon Province well-presented and reviewed the referral system flow and documentation as well as the patients’ success stories (school children who underwent cataract surgery). As the pandemic hit in 2020, the Eye Health Program has continued to serve and give services to learners of DepEd Quezon through referrals from Project HEAL initiated by the School Health Section. Eusylda U. Carandang Field Correspondent | Nurse II | Division Eye Health Focal Person | Lutucan INHS