Japan Turns Over State-of-the-Art Medical Equipment to the Health Sector

On November 25, 2022, the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines officially handed over to DOH Officer-in-Charge Ma. Rosario Vergeire advanced x-ray equipment for the health sector. On behalf of Ambassador KOSHIKAWA Kazuhiko, Economic Minister NIHEI Daisuke led the ceremonial turnover, along with Lung Center Executive Director Vincent Balanag, Jr. 
 
The Government of Japan provided a 2 billion yen grant for this program to augment the health sector’s capacity to address COVID-19 and other future emerging or re-emerging diseases.  This initiative entails providing cutting-edge medical equipment like CT scanners, X-ray machines and hemodialysis machines to key hospitals and medical institutions nationwide. Establishment of laboratory surveillance sites all over the Philippines is also included.  The bedside x-ray installed at the Lung Center is part of this grant. To date, this batch of devices completes the radiological equipment needs of all DOH affiliated hospitals.
 
Japan, a long-standing supporter of universal health coverage, fully commits to its close partnership with the Philippines under the Asia Health and Wellbeing Initiative (AHWIN) to strengthen the Philippine healthcare system and make it well-equipped to tackle public health emergencies. The upgraded health infrastructure this grant provides is expected to benefit the country’s medical system both now and in the long run.
 
In a message deliver on his behalf, Ambassador KOSHIKAWA emphasized the importance of these machines in the accurate diagnosis and prevention of infectious and lifestyle diseases, and in enabling beneficiary hospitals to provide seamless patient care services to thousands of Filipinos. “With or without COVID-19, everyone can finally breathe a sigh of relief and send out rays of hope for better healthcare services for Filipinos,” he concluded.