MANILA — In a groundbreaking move, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. unveiled the Philippines’ inaugural lung transplant program on Tuesday (23 January 2024) at the Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP) in Quezon City.
Developed in collaboration with the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI), the Lung Transplant Program is poised to provide essential services aimed at enhancing the quality of life for individuals grappling with irreversible lung diseases.
In his address, President Marcos emphasized the program’s commitment to public health, highlighting its significance as a covenant with 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,” remarked Marcos.
He further lauded the partnership between LCP and NKTI, viewing it as a model for other hospitals to pool resources and share assets, ultimately bolstering patient care and improving overall outcomes.
“The launch of the LCP and the NKTI Lung Transplant Program is an application of the proven maxim that two heads – two hospitals – are better than one,” he added.
Notably, Marcos became the second president, following in the footsteps of his father and namesake, former president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., to visit the institution.
The collaboration between NKTI and LCP began to take shape on November 25, 2022, with the initiation of a joint lung transplant program.
This endeavor formalized through a memorandum of agreement, aimed to address barriers such as the lack of infrastructure, organ donation and allocation systems, limited access to trained personnel, and financial constraints through the development of a comprehensive lung transplant manual.
(el Amigo/MNM)