LUNA, Apayao – The Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF) paid a courtesy visit to the Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGU)-Apayao on Wednesday, August 16, 2023.
Led by Country Manager Dr. Maria Victoria Rondaris, the FHF team was welcomed by local officials and some PLGU key personnel at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) Session Hall, Capitol building.
Rondaris in her talk, presented an overview of the Eye Health Systems Strengthening and Integration (EHSSI) project, the foundation’s latest initiative that identified Apayao as one among its implementation sites where the PLGU could potentially forge a partnership agreement with.
Rondaris said that the project is in line with the foundation’s four impact goals namely, effective cataract treatment, trachoma elimination, effective refractive error prevention and treatment, and diabetic retinopathy and management of other eye conditions.
“I believe that, by strengthening the health system and involving all other sectors besides health, this project will help the Department of Health (DOH) and provincial government fulfill its commitment to ensure that the people of Apayao have access to high-quality, integrated eye care services,” Rondaris said.
Established since 2014, FHF, Rondaris said, is a secular, nonpartisan, independent international development organization that has helped more than 2.5 million individuals throughout the world regain their sight, and with more than 25 nations benefiting from the foundation’s advocacy and efforts in educating and empowering local eye physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. By Krizza Joy Castillo