A new radiation and oncology unit was opened at the Rizal Medical Center in Pasig City on Tuesday, Feb. 14.
Department of Health (DOH) Officer-in-Charge Dr. Maria Roasrio Singh-Vergeire, RMC Chief Dr. Maria Rica Lumague, and other RMC officials led the inauguration.
Pasig City’s lone Congressman Roman Romulo and former Rizal Provincial Governor Rebecca “Nini” Ynares also were also present.
Complimentary to radiotherapy, the new center includes new services such as the linear accelerator and high-dose brachytherapy treatment.
“RMC is the first DOH hospital in the Eastern National Capital Region (NCR) to offer state-of-the-art linear accelerator radiotherapy (LINAC) and high-dose brachytherapy services to our less privileged cancer patients,” said Dr. Marigold M. Ferrolino, head of the Cancer Center at RMC.
The linear accelerator devices increase the availability of external beam radiation treatments. Meanwhile, brachytherapy or internal radiation therapy serves as an accessible approach for patients with prostate cancer, among others.
These additional services offer more diversified treatment options for patients that best targets their specific illnesses and needs.
“RMC’s Oncology Center has evolved into a multi-specialty facility, on its way to becoming a one-stop-shop services center catering to all cancer patient needs – chemotherapy, radiation therapy, multidisciplinary team cancer management, cancer support and ancillary services, cancer registry, training and research,” Ferrolino added.
Romulo said he hopes the RMC will truly achieve the “world class hospital” status as it continues to improve its services, especially for cancer patients.
Ynares also expressed her support to the RMC which also serves many patients from Rizal Province.
Vergeire said the DOH aims to assist public hospitals across the country to acquire radiation therapy equipment in order to provide the best services to cancer patients towards the fulfillment of universal healthcare.
“Rest assured that the DOH will never tire in its commitment to expand our work on cancer elimination – through system strengthening, health promotion, and service delivery,” Vergeire said.