With the surge of COVID-19 cases and the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the country, health workers are putting their lives at great risk to serve and save patients.
On March 31, Dr. Leandro L. Resurreccion III passed away at 57 due to the virus. He had been in a battle with the virus for around three weeks according to his daughter, Pia Isabel Resurreccion.
He was a pediatric transplant surgeon who served as the head of the Philippine Children’s Medical Hospital’s (PCMH) Pediatric Surgery Division as well as an educator at the Philippine College of Surgeons (PCS).
He specialized in pediatric minimally invasive surgery and liver transplant surgery in which he was much committed to advancing.
His passion for his field was not without his dedication to serving the country, choosing to work here despite being offered to stay at Westhead Hospital in Australia as told by his son, Leandro Resurreccion IV in a Facebook post.
“He did not do it for money nor for prestige, but because he was needed. He always embodied a kind of fiery passion for his profession but he always spoke of what the country needed together with such passion,” said Leandro IV.
His son also called on to the national government to step up in their efforts in handling the crisis.
“I hope I am not looked down for this, but I appeal to the National Government. Your efforts this lockdown have been commendable because I have seen firsthand how the battle against COVID-19 has been fought on with full force but I appeal that we may have a more coherent plan in order to test everyone and isolate. Let us break the chain,” he said.
The late doctor’s PCMH family paid their tributes to their “first fallen soldier in the battle vs COVID-19” in a Facebook post.
In the post, they recalled his “vision for pediatric surgery especially in liver transplants” and also how he was “always smiling, friendly and very ‘cool’”.
The PCS made a statement citing how the doctor dedicated his life to pediatric surgery as well as teaching.
His death is not just another number added to the toll. His contributions to the medical field will forever be celebrated and the legacy he left lives on.
As of this writing, the Department of Health has reported 2,311 cases of COVID-19 in the Philippines. Fifty people have already recovered while 96 have died. Of the 96 deaths from the disease in the Philippines, 1 was a nurse and 17 were physicians.
