Mayor Honey Lacuna received P30-million worth of various advanced medical equipment for the use of Gat Andres Bonifacio Medical Center (GABMC), the city-run hospital providing free health services for the residents of the first district of Manila.
Lacuna said the equipment donated by the the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) Foundation, Inc. for the ENT and Ophthalmology Departments included, among others, an endoscopy tower for ENT, phacoemulsification machine for cataract and otoacoustic emission machine.
The mayor thanked the foundation, represented by executive director Filipina Laurena; support services managerAllan Valmoria and program heads Eloida Arcena and Michael Vincent Llorente for the said donation and expressed hope that the other city hospitals will also get similar donations in the future.
“Maraming salamat sa ating private partners na walang- sawang natulong …sa ICTSI Foundation na nag-donate ng P30 million worth of equipment. Matagal na po ito talaga na gusto nilang ibigay sa lungsod. Naantala lang dahil sa pandemya pero di sila tumigil nang kakapursigi at kinausap po nila ang inyong lingkod. Sana all. Sana ang iba pang ospital ay mabigyan din po ninyo ng tulong. Maraming maraming salamat po,” Lacuna said.
The donation, she said, came at a time when the GABMC is about to celebrate its 25th year anniversary on April 28.
Lacuna praised hospital director Dr. Ted Martin and his team for the first-class services that they provide their patients.
“Napakalaki na ng pagbabagong naganap sa kanilang ospital. Kami ay nagpapasalamat dahil sa loob ng 25 years, ang Gat ay nakilala na di lamang sa Kamaynilaan kundi sa buong Pilipinas bilang isa sa mga nangunguna sa pagbibigay ng maayos at magandang serbisyo lalong-lalo na sa ating mga kababayang nagpapa-dialysis,” Lacuna said.
The mayor added that the GABMC, under the efficient stewardship of Dr. Martin, prides itself with running the biggest dialysis center in the country, equipped with 100 dialysis machines. thus beating even private medical institutions.
“Tinalo pa ang mga pribadong ospital at di lang sa Gat nagbibigay ng libreng dialysis. Andiyan din po ang Sta. Ana Hospital at Ospital ng Maynila na madaming natutulungang kababayan. Alam n’yo naman na pag tayo ay nagsimula ng dialysis, habambuhay na,” she added.
Dr. Martin, for his part, stated that the success of the GABMC and all the other city-owned hospitals can be attributed to the perseverance and unwavering support of the lady mayor, herself a doctor.
Hosting yesterday’s flagraising ceremony, Martin said he brought most of his staff who fought hard in the thick of the pandemic and who continue to provide selfless service to their patients.
“Kasama ko ang buong staff ng Gat Andres, mga lumaban sa panahon ng pandemya at sa loob ng 25 taon ay patuloy na naglilingkod hanggang ngayon sa larangan ng kalusugan. Sila po ay maipagmamalaki ko at malaki-laki na po ang pinagbago ng aming serbisyo. Upgraded na ang mga gamit since 2019 at may maayos na ICU na for adults at bata,” Martin added.
