ZCMC Cancer Center nears completion

ZAMBOANGA CITY - “The dream and aspiration of the people in Zamboanga peninsula or Region 9 to have a Cancer Center inside the Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC) is now a reality.”

Zamboanga City 1st District Rep Celso Lobregat said the center is expected to become operational before the end of the year.

Lobregat said he has solicited a substantial budget from the Department of Health (DOH) for the establishment of a modern Cancer Center inside the ZCMC to serve the people in Region 9 including the provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi or BaSulTa provinces.

Lobregat and hospital director Dr. Romeo Ong inspected the newly completed Cancer Center which is now awaiting the arrival of its facilities like the Linear Accelerator, the 32 Slice Spect CT with Hot Lab and Bone Dexa Densitometer.

“The Laboratory area and bunker cannot be completed as early as the contractor wanted it to be because the Linear Accelerator (LINAC) bunker will be designed according to the size of the (LINAC) equipment, it is imported and is arriving in the city soon,” Lobregat said.

Lobregat thanked former DOH secretaries Enrique Ona and Jannette Garin and the current DOH Secretary Dr. Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial for supporting the center.

The Cancer Center will have Digital Mammography with Stereotactic Biopsy and 3D Tomosynthesis, SPECT CT, Bone Densitometer, Digital C-Arm, 16 Slice CT Scan, Oxygen Plant, Cryotherapy and Laparoscopic Tower.

Dr. Ong said that this will be a breakthrough for ZCMC having such kind of modern equipment.

Lobregat vowed to work closely with the DOH officials in Manila to facilitate all other facilities needed by ZCMC to be of service to the less-fortunate constituents of Zamboanga City.