Capitol acquires P40M new equipment for Carcar hospital

The Cebu Provincial Government has acquired its first laparoscopic tower, shortly called lap tower, worth P40 million for one of its hospitals.

It is a device which enables a surgeon to perform operations using small incisions. It has a camera and monitor which will aid the doctor to perform a "less invasive" surgery according to Provincial Health Office (PHO) Head Dr. Rene Catan.

With minimized incisions, the healing time for a patient will also be reduced into shorter periods.

In Cebu, the provincial hospital is the second public health care provider to acquire the equipment after Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

"Sa Sotto dungog nako naguba. Naa ang other private hospitals like UC, Chong Hua, Cebu Doc. Kita naa (and) brand new," he said.

He continued that the device gives two primary benefits. First, the device can help in diagnostics as it has a camera and monitor which can check what's inside a person's internal cavities. Second, it will aid surgeons in treatment through an operation.

Starting this year, a patient which need this device for an operation may save at least P150,000 because the use of the equipment is free. Catan said that the expenses will be covered by PhilHealth.

For now, only Cebu Provincial Hospital Carcar City has it among the provincial-run hospitals. However, three more will be purchased in the coming years for the other provincial hospitals in Balamban, Bogo City, and Danao.

With this new advancement, Catan hopes that other surgeons who know how to use the device may be encouraged to serve in public hospitals.

The doctors currently connected with Cebu Provincial Hospitals are set to undergo training on how to use the equipment.

The said device arrived in the middle of this year from Korea.

Catan assured that the procurement of the device went through proper bidding process.