By Brian Jules Campued
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday led the launching of the Lung Transplant Program of the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) in collaboration with the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) in Quezon City.
In his speech, the President lauded the commitment of the LCP and the NKTI in improving the country’s healthcare system and serving the public especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He likewise expressed confidence that both hospitals will succeed with its new initiative, according to a statement from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
“Nais naming ipaabot ang aming taos-pusong pasasalamat dahil sa inyong katapangan, your gallant acts do not fade with time, then gratitude has no expiry date either. In LCP and NKTI, these words ring true: never was so much owed by so many to so few,” said President Marcos.
The joint lung transplant program between LCP and NKTI was initiated back in Nov. 25, 2022 through a memorandum of agreement which paved way for the development of a lung transplant manual addressing several barriers in implementing such project including the lack of infrastructure and organ donation and allocation system, limited access to trained personnel, and financial constraints.
As part of the program, the LCP has been improving its infrastructure capacity through the renovation of its post-anesthesia care unit and surgical intensive care unit to be funded by the 2024 General Appropriations Act and through donations from the private sector.
“The partnership between LCP and NKTI can be a template in which hospitals pool their resources and share assets to boost patient care and improve bottom lines. The launch of the LCP and the NKTI Lung Transplant Program is an application of the proven maxim that two heads – two hospitals – are better than one,” the Chief Executive added.
To recall, the LCP and the NKTI were established in 1981 by virtue of Presidential Decrees 1823 and 1832 citing the need to address the respiratory health problems in the country and to help the Filipino people afflicted with kidney and allied diseases, respectively.
“Let us remember that healthcare is our covenant with the people, a public commitment driven by neither political agenda nor personal legacy projects. In this hospital where heroes walked and worked, may this program be a testament to our unwavering duty to serve the Filipinos.”
Developments in the healthcare sector
Meanwhile, during the said event, Marcos also highlighted various developments in the Philippine healthcare system such as training of more doctors through the “Doctors to the Barrios” program and building of about 131 specialty centers nationwide – of which, nine were dedicated lung centers.
“By 2028, we aim to establish an additional 179 specialty centers, seven of which are dedicated as lung care centers,” Marcos announced.
Further, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Health (DOH) have been addressing the shortage of nurses through the expanded nursing education program.
He also promised to rehabilitate the NKTI annex building – which housed emergency rooms, wards, operating rooms, and a radiology complex – after it was affected by a fire that engulfed the LCP back in 1998.
“And, it seems like it has been too long [a] delay to wait since 1998 to bring us back to the standards, or at least the capacity that we had in 1998 to now, which is already 2024. So, we are playing catch-up, but we will do all that we can,” the President added. – avds
