Adventist Hospital Palawan (AHP) inaugurated its chemotherapy unit on Monday and is now offering improved services for cancer patients receiving treatment.
AHP Chief Operations Officer Dr. Ian Kenneth Bermeo said this is an upgrade on their chemotherapy services because it now has its own dedicated unit with laminar tube for safer chemo drug preparation and a unit with upgraded furnishings and better comfort.
In a press release to Palawan News dated August 16, AHP said the dedicated unit was developed so that they could offer better services to cancer patients amidst the pandemic.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony headed by AHP President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Elias Apacible and Vice President for Medical Services & Medical Director Dr. Ronnie Dan Salazar took place where AHP’s oncologists were also present.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), cancer is the third leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the country, second to heart and vascular diseases. In the DOH’s 2010 data, Filipino men were most commonly diagnosed with lung, liver, colon/rectum, prostate, stomach, and leukemia.
For women, the most common sites diagnosed were breast, cervix, lung, colon/rectum, ovary, and liver.
The DOH further states that 189 of every 100,000 Filipinos are afflicted with cancer while four Filipinos die of cancer every hour, or 96 cancer patients every day.
Bermeo added that the AHP’s most common cancer patients have breast or colon cases
Those who wish to schedule a chemotherapy appointment may call (048)433-1247, or talk to their AHP doctor.
