DOH opens new catheterization lab for Central Luzon folks

Department of Health officer in charge Maria Rosario Vergeire (center) at the new catheterization laboratory at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital in San Fernando, Pampanga. (Photo courtesy of DOH)

The Department of Health (DOH) has recently opened a new catheterization laboratory (CathLab) at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital (JBLMGH) in San Fernando City, Pampanga to serve the residents of Central Luzon provinces.

During the facility’s ribbon-cutting rites, DOH officer in charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the construction of the new laboratory was made possible through the Health Facilities Enhancement Program and in coordination with provincial and local government units.

The CathLab, which was completed in 120 days, provides services of interventional cardiac procedures and non-cardiac procedures under interventional radiology, both vascular and non-vascular. “We hope the day will come when we no longer send patients outside of the region, because we have a facility such as JBLMGH that can cater to all diseases our patients may be confronted with,” she said.

The fund for the CathLab construction was taken out of the P1-billion budget given to the hospital in 2013 for the completion of its buildings and equipment, Vergeire said.

“In one to two years, we will have a Philippine General Hospital in Luzon and that would be JBLMGH,” she said. (With PNA)