Marcos launches first lung transplant program at Lung Center of the PH

With respiratory problems still among the top causes of illnesses in the country, President Marcos on Tuesday, Jan. 23, launched the Philippines first lung transplant at the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) in Quezon City.

(Photo from the Presidential Communications Office)

The official, who made the remarks during the launching of the LCP and the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) program, reminded healthcare professionals of their commitment to deliver quality healthcare to the Filipino people.

“Let us remember that healthcare is our covenant with the people, a public commitment driven by neither political agenda nor personal legacy projects. In this hospital where heroes walked and worked, may this program be a testament to our unwavering duty to serve the Filipinos,” he said.

The President also led the ribbon-cutting ceremony to signify the launching of the program and visited the event’s photo exhibit showcasing LCP’s milestone.

The NKTI and LCP initiated the creation of a joint lung transplant program on Nov. 25, 2022 through a memorandum of agreement (MOA).

The aim was to develop a lung transplant manual that addresses barriers such as lack of infrastructure and organ donation and allocation system, limited access to trained personnel, and financial constraints.

The creation of the program is based on records that pneumonia and other forms of respiratory diseases remain among the top 20 causes of mortality among Filipinos from January to July 2023, while acute lower respiratory tract infection and tuberculosis (TB) are among the top causes of illnesses in the country.

Under the program, the LCP has been improving its infrastructure, including the P4.2-million renovation of its post-anesthesia care unit and the P1.8-million surgical intensive care unit.

The program is funded by the 2024 General Appropriations Act and private sector donations.

Marcos is the second president, next to his father and namesake, former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who visited the institution.

The elder Marcos’ presidential decrees created the LCP and the NKTI in 1981 to address the respiratory health problems in the Philippines and to help the Filipino people afflicted with kidney and allied diseases, respectively.