First acute stroke unit in Bicol now operational

LEGAZPI CITY — The first acute stroke unit in the Bicol region is now operational at the Bicol Regional Hospital and Medical Center (BRHMC), providing specialized treatment for stroke patients and reducing the need for them to travel to Metro Manila for medical care.

During the inauguration on Monday, BRHMC chief Dr. Eric Raymond Raborar said the facility is part of the hospital’s effort to expand its services and save more lives.

Raborar said the Acute Stroke Unit currently has a four-bed capacity, with plans to accommodate more patients once the hospital’s new building is completed in October.

READ: DOH: Cases of heart attack, stroke, asthma higher by 5 percent this year

“For a long time, Bicolanos needed a centralized hub to fight the race against the clock. We answered the call. This unit is not just a collection of equipment, but a specialized ecosystem designed for one thing — patient survival,” he said.

Raborar added that the facility would help patients avoid traveling to Metro Manila for treatment.

“This is world-class health care. We are here to prevent disability and death by bringing patients treatment within the critical four-hour window,” Raborar said.

Dr. Lynne Lourdes Lucena, chair of the Acute Stroke Care Committee, said patients admitted to the unit would have access to specialists, nurses, and medicines needed for treatment.

“What is very crucial is meeting the four-hour golden period so the ailment can still be reversed. This is free of charge for PhilHealth members,” Lucena said.

Lucena said stroke-related deaths remain alarming in the region, noting that Bicol ranked third highest in the country in stroke mortality based on 2020 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, tied with Region 1 and Region 11./coa