VSMMC opens new lab for heart patients

CEBU, Philippines - Patients from Cebu and neighboring provinces who have heart ailments can now have access to "less expensive" medical treatment with yesterday's opening of the second Catheterization Laboratory (CathLab) and a new neurosurgical ward at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial, who led the inauguration ceremony, said CathLab's launch aimed to make healthcare services more accessible to the public, consistent with the healthcare agenda of President Rodrigo Duterte.

VSMMC chief Gerardo Aquino Jr. said the opening of the second CathLab will enable the hospital to cater to more cardiac services, including coronary angiograms, angioplasties, pacemaker insertions, and to conduct hemodynamic studies.

Also present during the opening were Representative Bebot Abellanosa (Cebu City south district), Representative Raul del Mar (Cebu City north district), Representative Benhur Salimbangon (Cebu, 4th district), Representative Jonas Cortes (Cebu, 6th district), Cordova Mayor Therese Sitoy-Cho, and Department of Health-7 assistant director Sophia Mancao.

The first CathLab opened at VSMMC in 2006. It was funded by the Dutch government through a program under its Official Development AID  that extended a grant to the DOH for medical equipment to upgrade heart-lung centers in the country.

With the new facilities and equipment, Aquino said the public can now expect better delivery of services from VSMMC. (FREEMAN)