THE Philippine Heart Center and Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital under Chief of Hospital Dr. Julius Drilon performed the first Cardiovascular Surgical Mission in June 2023.
Dr. Ma. Bernadette Azcueta, Division Head of Pediatric Cardiology Intensive Care from PHC, presented the cases performed and a total of 13 surgeries on both pediatric and adult patients were done to correct ventricular and atrial septal defects and patent ductus arteriosus.
Eight out of 13 were open heart surgeries, while the remaining five were closed heart surgeries.
One of the open heart surgeries involved a Warden procedure for a Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return (PAPVR), which is a type of complex congenital defect.
The breakthrough here is that through this project, PHC and CLMMRH were able to create equitable access to open heart surgery, the first time on the island.
The ways forward is to transition the project into a sustainable program through PhilHealth’s Z-benefit for Cardiovascular Cases.
Dr. Gerardo Manzo, Deputy Executive Director of Medical Services of PHC, discussed the Plans for Moving Forward after the said surgical mission, and emphasized the importance of the establishment of independent regional heart centers.
Despite the presence of an existing regional heart center at Iloilo City, CLMMRH was considered for Western Visayas because of the geographical issues of a multi-island region.
Thus, he encouraged collaboration between Iloilo and Negros regional hospitals, especially in sharing its heart specialists.
Dr. Manzo said, after the first cardiovascular surgical mission, "CLMMRH now has Paglaum (Hope), a renewed hope for the Negros Island."
He assured continued support for CLMMRH with the goal that it will become an independent heart center in the region.
The exit meeting ended with CLMMRH Medical Center Chief, Dr. Julius M. Drilon's closing message, thanking PHC for giving CLMMRH hope, the reason for the name of the initiative: Project Paglaum.
For him, the exit conference is just the beginning. He assured everyone that the project will push through ahead of its schedule.
He also thanked PHC and underscored the fact that one cannot be a leader if one cannot serve.
PHC has demonstrated this, through serving the whole nation, emerged as the leader in specialized heart care in the country, he said.*