Manileños suffering from heart ailments no longer need to spend thousands of pesos for costly procedures, as the City of Manila opens its first-ever Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (Cath Lab) at the Ospital ng Maynila.
Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso announced the development during his latest Yorme’s Hour broadcast, calling it a major milestone in the city’s commitment to accessible healthcare.
“Tatlong taon na hindi nagamit pero ngayon bubuksan na natin.”
“’Yan po ay Cath Lab na pinatayo natin, na inutang natin, noong nakaraang panahon ng unang termino ko, tatlong taon na hindi nagamit pero ngayon bubuksan na natin,” Domagoso said.
A Cath Lab is a specialized facility designed to diagnose and treat heart conditions without the need for open-heart surgery.
According to the mayor, the lab will first offer angiogram services, with the support of experts from the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and the Philippine Heart Center, and will soon be capable of performing angioplasty as well.
Currently, an angiogram in private hospitals costs at least ₱30,000, while angioplasty may cost upwards of ₱300,000. With the Cath Lab’s opening, indigent Manileños can now avail of these life-saving procedures for free.
“Kapag nasira ‘yan dahil ginagamit ninyo, masaya na ako.”
“Gusto ko nga po magamit nyo ‘yan, kapag nasira ‘yan dahil ginagamit ninyo, masaya na ako, ang poproblemahin ko na lang maghanap ng pera, para bumili ng bago,” he added.
The facility marks another step in the city’s ongoing effort to provide affordable, quality healthcare to all residents.
