DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Oct. 7 (PIA) -- Individuals who are in need of cardio-vascular treatment in Negros Oriental may no longer need to travel to Cebu or Manila to get proper medical intervention as Silliman University Medical Center Foundation, Inc. (SUMCFI) Heart Institute opened its Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory in the city. 

The official launching and blessing of the facility was held on Oct. 5 attended by SUMCFI administration officials, doctors, and government officials. 

The Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory is capable to provide percutaneous coronary intervention, temporary and permanent pacemaker insertion, IVC filter insertion, vascular access procedures and repair, carotid endarterectomy, pericardial drainage procedures, elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, interventions of peripheral artery disease: thrombectomy, embolectomy, endarterectomy, anatomic and extra-anatomic bypass and interventions for chronic venous insufficiency: vein stripping and phlebectomy. 

SUMCFI Heart Institute Director Dr. Susan Denura said the facility aims to bring the technology and the skill locally, as local cardiologists before had to refer patients to Cebu or Manila to get treatment. 

The laboratory is also timely given the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Heart diseases remain to be the number one killer globally for the longest time. Even with the Covid pandemic, people with Covid die because of complications to the cardio-vascular system. Tungod aning kahimtang nato karon, it is actually very important na naa ta dinhi kay lisod ang ibyahe (Because of the situation we are facing right now, it is important that this facility is now here because it is very difficult to travel nowadays),” Denura said. 

Meanwhile, Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and 2nd District Representative Cong. Manuel Sagarbarria, who attended the event, lauded SUMCFI for putting up the said laboratory. 

Both officials said they understand the financial burden that comes along with seeking treatment in Cebu and Manila, citing patients would not just have to raise funds for the treatment but also for supplemental expenses like food, accommodation, and transportation. 

Degamo disclosed that although the provincial government has already lodged a big amount of money at the Philippine Heart Center for patients with cardio-vascular diseases from Negros Oriental, people would still come to his office to ask for additional funds to cover the travel and lodging expenses. 

Degamo said he will coordinate with the Sangguniang Panglalawigan (SP) and ask members of the provincial board to set aside a P5 million budget as financial assistance and lodge it at the SUMCFI Heart Institute so that indigent residents here can avail of treatment for heart diseases.

“The first thing that I’m going to do after today is to ask the SP to allocate funds for the medical center. I will be asking them for the authority to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) so that makahatag ug hinabang para dire sa medical center na lang. Dili na mobiyahe sa Cebu or sa Manila (I will ask them to give me the authority to sign a MOA so that we can allocate funds at the medical center so patients will no longer have to travel to Cebu or Manila),”Degamo said. 

For his part, Sagarbarria said he will also move to allocate funds to the Department of Health (DOH) that will then disburse the patients who are set to undergo heart treatment operations or procedures at the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. 

“I was able, as your representative, to talk to the DOH to put some resources here in SUMC. This year, an initial P10 million was placed. Hopefully, 2022 will be much better and definitely the Cardiac Catheterization will be a priority,” Sagarbarria said. 

Other officials who also gave a virtual message of support were Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Remollo and First District Representative Cong. Joselyn Limkaichong. 

In response, SUMCFI President Roberto Montebon said the hospital is happy with the pledges from the government officials.Montebon assured that the funds which the two officials pledged to SUMCFI Heart Institute will be intended for those who can least afford the procedures. 

“Maybe we have to work out the MOA. We will have to come up with the guidelines. We will prioritize those who least can afford the procedure,” Montebon said. 

He added that in some cases, the financial assistance is coursed through the DOH and the Department of Social Welfare and Development but the referral comes from them. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)