Arroyo wants more hospitals in regions

MANILA, Philippines — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wants to fasttrack the creation of regional heart, kidney and lung centers in the country to allow a larger number of Filipinos access to world-class medical and hospital benefits, an integral part of her social services payback to the people.

In her keynote speech during the 21st anniversary celebration of St. Luke’s Heart Institute in Quezon City this morning, the President said the regional specialty hospitals will be installed in key cities in the country to allow those “who cannot physically travel to Manila” a chance to be treated in their own area.

“We are expanding the menu of social payback offerings to initially include fast tracking the creation of regional heart, kidney and lung centers in key cities especially for those patients who cannot travel to Manila not only because they can’t afford it but also because their medical condition will not allow them,” the President said.

The regional heart, lung and kidney centers, according to her, will be piloted initially in the Vicente Sotto Memorial Hospital in Cebu, the Davao Medical Center in Davao, the Northern Mindanao Regional Center in Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental and the Bicol Regional Center in Legazpi City, Albay.

To expedite the implementation of the project, the President instructed Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to increase “government equity coverage” with funds taken from savings realized by the country’s lower payment for its debt equity.

She pointed out that the strengthening peso was brought about by the “new level of maturity and security” reached by the Philippine economy.

“Better fiscal health of the country results in health care closer to your home,” the President said.

She added that with the newfound strength of the economy, the government has been able to put up 10,000 Botika ng Barangays (BnB) in various places around the country.

BnB, another pro-poor project of President Arroyo, offers commonly used, over-the-counter medicines at half the normal prices and has been viewed as a boon to Filipinos with ailments.

Aside from this, the President called on Congress to pass important legislation on bringing in cheaper medicines and in strengthening the Senior Citizens Law.

“I call on our Congress to pass legislation to bring cheaper medicines to our people. Also, I call on Congress to pass legislation to improve long term care for our senior citizens,” she said.

The President expressed hope that the good doctors of St. Luke’s would help craft the legislation for long term geriatric care as a public health service for the country.

She asked the doctors to advocate the promotion of healthy living as a way of lowering the causes of cardiovascular diseases, a leading cause of death among Filipinos.

“I hope the St. Luke’s Heart Institute can also help us to be advocates in our families, work places, schools, civic organizations and all local and national constituencies to promote heart healthy lifestyles to help us make sure that all Filipinos are aware of the dangers of hypertension and obesity as well as other risk factors like smoking and physical inactivity,” the President said.