In a continuing effort to provide free, prompt, and quality healthcare to poor Manileños, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada has acquired four brand-new computerized tomography (CT) scan machines worth P40 million to replace the old ones being used by the city’s public hospitals.
Estrada said the continued acquisition of new medical equipment is part of his 10-point agenda for the next three years, most of which were aimed at providing social services to indigents.
“This is one of my top priorities. This is part of my 10-point agenda, to improve our healthcare system. That’s why we continue to acquire the latest state-of-the art medical equipment for our hospitals such as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), CT scans, X-ray and ultrasound machines, and incubators,” Estrada said.
“In private hospitals, you have to pay when using CT scan or MRI machines. And it is really expensive. Here in our public hospitals, everything is free,” he added.
The new CT scan machines are to be used by Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center, Justice Abad Santos Mother & Child Hospital, Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center and Sta. Ana Hospital.
“This would be a big help to the poor. All medical tests in our hospitals are free, consultation is free, medicines are free,” Estrada added.
The newly purchased CT scan machines will replace the six-year-old malfunctioning scanners presently being used by the Sta. Ana Hospital, according to its director, Jesus Sison Jr.
The new CT scan machines have 16-32 slice systems which are much preferred by doctors, Sison said.
In April, the city government acquired a P117-million MRI machine for the Ospital ng Maynila.
Estrada also put up a dialysis center and an Eye Care Center at Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center.