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City of Batac—The provincial government of Ilocos Norte, in partnership with the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMHMC), conducted a medical mission in the City of Batac, Ilocos Norte, from Sept. 19 to 21, 2024.
SGH is the largest acute care tertiary hospital in Singapore,
with over 50 clinical specialties, emphasizing patient-centered care and
comprehensive healthcare services, and is a leader in medical education and
research.
The medical team from Singapore was comprised of renown
orthopedic, hand, and plastic surgeons, as well as senior nursing and allied
healthcare staff. Surgeries performed included hip and knee replacements,
arthroscopic procedures for both the shoulder and knee, as well as complex
upper limb and facial reconstructive surgeries.
Over the years, PGIN, under the leadership of Ilocos Norte Governor
Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc, has continued to focus on improving the province's
health system by partnering with medical institutions in addressing various
medical concerns of Ilokanos.
Manotoc expressed his gratitude for this opportunity, saying: "We
are extremely grateful and we cannot express how vital this [medical mission]
is for us and the impact that you all will be making in the lives of many
Ilokanos."
He also highlighted that "medical care is always a challenge
in Ilocos Norte, particularly in terms of affordability and making sure that
the right procedures, with the right equipment and with the right doctor is
possible."
"I hope we can find ways to expand this initiative and
continue this collaboration to improve our hospitals in the province," he
ended.
Meanwhile, Dr. Maria Lourdes K. Otayza, MMMMHMC medical center chief
II, shared that the hospital management plans to continue collaborating with
SGH to conduct the program on a larger scale and establish a stronger
partnership that can improve the province's healthcare system.
Furthermore, Professor Andrew Tan, the head of the SGH Orthopedic
Department, said they have a very strong team for this medical mission and
expressed his hopes for a productive medical mission, saying:
"We look forward to working with you, doing our best for the
patients, and learning from one another to improve our work.
We are going to do a lot of surgeries, so I think this is a
positive step in the right direction," Prof. Tan added.
The medical mission served more than 20 beneficiaries from the
various towns of Ilocos Norte. The costs were shared by the two medical
institutions, while the hospitalization and postoperative care will be covered
by MMMHMC. (PGIN-CMO)