Family seeks urgent help for boy with eye pierced by steel rod

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The family of a 10-year-old boy, whose left eye was pierced by a rusty steel rod on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, in Sitio Sto. Niño, Brgy. Apas, Cebu City, has appealed for urgent help to facilitate the child’s immediate surgery.

Alias Ai, the elder sister of the victim, said that up until now, the operation on her younger brother has not yet been done.

She said that currently, her brother is admitted at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

After the incident, the victim was first brought to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC), but the hospital refused to admit him since they did not have an eye specialist.

“Pag-abot sa Sotto, wala may doctor. Giingnan lang mi nga paabot. Hangtod pag-gabie, wala gihapon, sige mi og follow-up pero wa. Wala gihapon siya ma-operahe kay ang tubag ra nila kay magpaabot lang daw kuno kay wala pay doktor,” Ai said.

She appealed to the public and the government to help them, as her brother’s eye is already swollen.

“Maayo lang unta mi ug tabang para sa akong manghod nga ma-operahan na siya. Maayo unta nga naay maluoy sa amoa nga maluwas ang akong manghod kay nag-antos siya karon,” she added.

Earlier, the left eye of the victim was pierced by the steel rod while he was walking towards his school.

Edwin Dionio, who first saw the victim, said he heard the victim crying, so he approached him.

He tried to pull out the steel rod; however, the boy complained of pain.

Dionio immediately asked for help from the barangay and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), wherein the victim was rushed to a hospital.

Earlier, Portia Basmayor, head of the Cebu City Social Welfare and Services, expressed that the city government would help with the victim’s medication.

RELATED STORIES

Boy’s eye pierced by steel rod while on way to school

Boy, 12, injured after arm pierced by gate iron grill