Lapu-Lapu hospital receives free gadgets from abroad

CEBU, Philippines — The Allegiant Regional Care (ARC) Hospital in Lapu-Lapu City is one of the first few recipient hospitals of free medical gadgets from a non-profit organization.

ARC got pulse oximeters from Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focused organization along with Lifebox, a global non-profit that saves lives through safer surgery and anesthesia.

Pulse oximeters are needed to measure the blood’s oxygen level and are essential for patient monitoring during anesthesia and in intensive care.

A recent report released by Smile Train and Lifebox, A Critical Gap: Pulse Oximetry in low and middle-income countries, stressed that 15 percent of operating beds in low- and lower-middle-income countries lack a pulse oximeter, with 42 percent of recovery beds unable to provide vital monitoring after surgery.

Aside from ARC-Lapu-Lapu City, the said groups have been distributed to Marikina St. Vincent General Hospital, San Fernando Hospital in Pampanga, and Tebow CURE Hospital in Davao City.

More partner hospitals and organizations are expected to receive the pulse oximeters in the coming months as well.

This work is part of 1,000 pulse oximeters currently being distributed to Smile Train partner hospitals worldwide for safer anesthesia care as part of the global Smile Train-Lifebox Safe Surgery and Anesthesia Initiative.

Their goal is to contribute to safer surgeries in the Philippines over the next year.

“Smile Train has worked with Lifebox for over a decade to equip hospitals with essential monitoring tools that are not only necessary for cleft surgery but can be used for other medical procedures and in treating COVID-19. While Smile Train is working toward expanding our reach in more communities, we are also looking for more ways to support and invest in our local healthcare partners,” said Kimmy Coseteng-Flaviano, Smile Train’s Vice President, South East Asia.

Back in 2020, Smile Train and Lifebox launched the global safe surgery and anesthesia initiative as well as provided 8,800 pulse oximeters to support healthcare providers worldwide in responding to COVID-19.

Last year, the two organizations launched the Lifebox-Smile Train Pulse Oximeter to scale up access to anesthesia monitoring - to make 14 million surgeries safer. —/GMR (FREEMAN)