Tondo hospital gets new GE Revolution EVO CT scan machine

Manila City Mayor Franciso “Isko Moreno” Domagoso (L) and Vice Mayor Maria Sheila “Honey”  Lacuna-Pangan (R) pose beside the GE Revolution EVO 128-Slice CT scan machine at Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center in Tondo. Undated photo from the Office of the Mayor

MANILA, Philippines — Manila City Mayor Franciso “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, Vice Mayor Maria Sheila “Honey”  Lacuna-Pangan, and Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center (GABMMC) director Dr. Ted Martin has recently unveiled the hospital’s new GE Revolution EVO 128-Slice CT scan machine.

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

“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,” Moreno said.

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

These CT scan machines have undergone intensive use throughout the pandemic, as CT scans are being 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 also talked about other plans to further improve health services in the city, including the acquisition of more ICU equipment for district hospitals.

But more than acquiring the latest equipment, Moreno emphasized the need to protect the frontliners.

“No matter how much money we have, if we do not have medical frontliners then nothing works,” he said.