By Ercel Maandig
Marawi City-The Amai Pakpak Medical Center(APMC) here on Friday inaugurated a heart institute with world class and sophisticated facilities.
Attended with no less than Department of Health (DoH)Undersecretary for Visayas and Mindanao Dr.Abdullah B.Dumama Jr. APMC officially open its door for any cardiovascular operations and procedures.
With the sophisticated medical facilities and equipment that the hospital had, Usec Dumama said that this is already a premiere hospital that served the people of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao(BARMM).
APMC is a level 3 Teaching-training hospital with residency training programs for Internal Medicine,Pediatric, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Anesthesiology and through the DoH Department Order No. 2021-0001, it was designated to establish 9 Basic Comprehensive Specialty Centers, thus making it one of the six Apex Hospitals in Mindanao.
APMC Chief Dr.Shalimar S. Rakiin said that since this is a government run hospital ,patients can avail all government Benifits for very minimal payments such as PhilHealth’s Z package,the Universal Health Care program through Malasakit centers,LGU sponsored DSWD financial assistance,PCSO financial assistance and others.
The 7 storey 438 beds hospital also received a support from King Zalman Foundation of Saudi Arabia while through the National expenditure program, the Philippine government granted an annual financial assistance between Php100 to Php200 Million but not all funds allocated for the institute;at present , the hospital already spent Pup150 Million from the GAA of DoH.
Dr.Rakiin added that the present bed capacity of the hospital is not enough to cater 600 daily occupancy average of the hospital the reason why they need to upgrade beds and rooms.She reported that BARMM Congressman Zia Alonto Adiong already file a bill in the house of representative for an additional 400 to 800 bed capacity for the hospital.
One of these Bed Capacity Specialty Centers is the Cardiovascular Care or the Heart Center,establishing the heart institute is geared to advance the healthcare services of APMC for the people of nearby areas,and one strategic initiative to the performance governance system.
The APMC Heart institute will serve as a regional referral center by collaborating with peripheral healthcare facilities to improve the healthcare system and enhance its capacity to manage complicated cardiac cases.
The establishment of APMC Heart institute is in line with the thrust of Universal Health Care and is part of the mandate of DoH to explore the regionalization of health care.
The initiative of the Philippine Heart Center for their 2012 Performance Governance System is to decentralized cardiovascular care and increase access to such services in the country by bringing the brand of the Philippine Heart Center(PHC) patient focused and compassionate care to the regions.
In 2021,the PHC led the 1st Cardiovascular Surgical Mission in APMC,this is to expedite the adoption of APMC as a Regional Heart Center.
The Heart institute services include Catheterization Laboratory, headed by Dr.Nashiba Daud together with Dr. Soshaili Laguindab both Internal medicine intervention a list who perform coronary angiogram,angioplasty,Hemodynamic studies,Permanent Pacemaker insertion.The cardiovascular operating room is capable of open and closed heart surgeries,peripheral vascular surgery,open central vascular surgery/Aortic surgery,and open endogenous surgery by their very own Maranao Thoracic and vascular surgeon,Dr.Macatanong.Soon,the APMC Heart institute will have the Z- benifit accreditation for coronary artery bypass graft,ventricular septal defect closure and Tetralogy of Fallout Correction.APMC Heart institute has a sophisticated equipment such as the Wall mounted catheterization Laboratory Machine,an advanced Heart and Lung Machine,an Intra-Aortic Balloon pump,and all other equipment needed for cardiovascular procedures.
