Tondo hospital gets Japanese CT scan

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor Isko Moreno unveiled yesterday a modern CT scan machine at the Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center (GABMMC) in Tondo.

The Japan-made GE Revolution EVA 128-slice CT scan was procured by the mayor’s office to further improve health services for Manileños.

“This is a very important machine for the hospital because many of the patients here do not have money to pay for CT scans. Usually, only those who have money can afford CT scans,” Moreno said. “This equipment is needed for proper diagnostics and can increase the probability of patients surviving even in critical conditions.”

The mayor said the CT scan machine boosts the GABMMC’s capacity to provide free specialized health services to the poor.

The medical center now has the most advanced CT scan machine among the city’s district hospitals.

“These CT scans are used to assess the lung condition of COVID-19 patients. CT scans detect pulmonary embolism that occurs among those who have COVID-19,” Moreno said.

He was joined by Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna and GABMMC director Ted Martin during the unveiling of the CT scan machine.

The local government plans to acquire more intensive care unit equipment for the city’s district hospitals, Moreno said.

“No matter how much money we have, if we do not have medical frontliners and hospital equipment then nothing will work,” the mayor said.

Martin said the CT scan machine could easily detect diseases such as aneurysm, brain tumor, meningitis, encephalitis and COVID-related brain infection.