First Roundtable on Cornea and Eye Donation, Successfully Launched

The country’s leading medical institutions and organizations have gathered in the 1st Roundtable Discussion on Cornea and Eye Donation hosted by the Eye Bank Foundation at the Kimberly Hotel, Manila City yesterday, August 14, 2019.

Transplant coordinators have discussed updates, strategies, success stories, as well as challenges in approaching possible donor families.

In the same manner, they have shared their insights, observations, recommendations, and experiences on the ground in the hope of strengthening the efforts toward increasing corneal donation in hospitals.

Eye Bank’s President and CEO, Dr. Minguita Padilla, greeted the participants with her opening remarks.

She noted that due to the severe scarcity of transplantable cornea and eye tissue, our country is in a crisis.

However, this crisis can be addressed through the collective action of medical institutions and organizations.

This is evinced in the latest statistics where it shows that throughout the years, there has been an increasing organ donation awareness and acceptance.

Speaking on behalf of the DOH – Philippine Organ Donation and Transplantation Program and Philippine Network for Organ Sharing (PODTP-PhilNOS), Mr. Paolo Villanueva shared the organization’s strategies and current efforts in strengthening organ sharing in the country.

Mr. Jade Malicdan, Baguio General Hospital Eye Tissue Retrieval Unit Coordinator, discussed the experiences, challenges, and success stories of Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center in cornea and eye donation.

Since July this year, there has been an influx of volunteer donations coming from Baguio General Hospital, making Baguio City one of the most active cities in corneal donation.

Eye Bank’s Senior Procurement Transplant Coordinator, Ms. Reina Orfinada, informed the body on the success stories and strategies of Eye Bank in approaching possible donor families.

She also highlighted the current initiatives of Eye Bank in strengthening the Hospital Retrieval Program in line with the policy thrust of its leadership.

St. Luke’s Medical Center – Global City was represented by its Center for Organ Transplant Manager Ms. Mae Salvador where she discussed the institution’s organ donation program.

Ms. Niña Carla Garcia from the National Kidney Transplant Institute’s Human Organ Preservation Effort (NKTI HOPE), served as the last roundtable discussant.

Dr. Francis Sarmiento III, PODTP-PhilNOS Program Manager, synthesized the discussion and encouraged everyone to further enhance techniques, skills, and methods in approaching possible donor families.

More so, he expressed PODTP-PhilNOS’ support in all initiatives and efforts in forwarding the cause of organ donation in the Philippines.

#PartnersInSight #EyeBankPH