Tondo hospital gets new GE Revolution EVO CT scan machine

CALOOCAN CITY, April 18 (PIA) -- A public hospital in Tondo, Manila now has a new CT scan machinne, courtesy of the local government.

Manila Mayor Franciso "Isko Moreno" Domagoso and Vice Mayor Maria Sheila 'Honey' Lacuna-Pangan - together with Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center (GABMMC) Director Dr. Ted Martin - unveiled the hospital's new GE Revolution EVO 128-Slice CT scan machine on Wednesday, April 14.

The Japan-made CT scan machine was bought by the Office of the Mayor as part of its long-term plan to further improve health services in the City of Manila.

Domagoso said, "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, but then CT scans are needed for proper diagnostics. This can increase the probability of patients surviving even in critical situations."

The new CT scan machine boosts the GABMMC's capacity to provide free specialized health services to underserved patients. It now has the most advanced CT scan machine among the city's district hospitals. Prior to this, CT scans at GABMMC, Sta. Ana Hospital, and the Ospital ng Maynila each had a 25-slice capacity only.

These CT scan machines have undergone intensive use throughout the pandemic, as CT scans done to assess the lung condition of COVID patients. In particular, CT scans detect the pulmonary embolism that occurs in those who have COVID.

Dr. Martin went on to enumerate the features of the GE Revolution EVO 128-Slice CT scan machine. He noted: "This machine can easily identify the following brain conditions like stroke, aneurysm, brain tumor, meningitis, encephalitis, COVID-related brain infection. Pati heart attack pwede n'ya malaman agad kung aatakihin ka. Kaya rin ma-detect nang maaga ang lung cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, intestinal cancer, at lahat nang klase ng bukol sa tiyan."

The mayor went on to talk about other plans to further improve health services, which include the acquisition of more ICU equipment for its district hospitals.

But more than acquiring the latest equipment, Domagoso also emphasized the need to protect frontliners. "No matter how much money we have, if we do not have medical frontliners then nothing works," he said. (PIA NCR)