UP-PGH Launches Advanced Intensive Care Facility and PET-CT Equipment

MANILA – The University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) unveiled a new intensive care unit and imaging equipment on Tuesday, aimed at enhancing healthcare quality for Filipinos, including indigent and paying cancer patients.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Central Intensive Care Unit (CENICU) features 32 units divided between adult and pediatric care, equipped with beds, monitors, and essential treatment tools. Additionally, the newly introduced Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET-CT) scan will provide high-resolution imaging crucial for accurate cancer diagnosis and can also assist in identifying various neurological, cardiac, and inflammatory conditions.

The CENICU, costing approximately PHP150 million, is designed to reduce infection rates and increase patient comfort. It is the second such government facility in the Philippines, following the National Kidney and Transplant Institute, but is the first to be fully funded by the government. The PET-CT scans, which typically cost patients PHP40,000, will now be more accessible, either free of charge or at significantly reduced prices, making UP-PGH the provider of the least expensive such scans nationwide.

For patients in the intensive care unit, daily costs can reach PHP160,000, covering all necessary services from respiratory support to medication. However, indigent patients are eligible for no balance billing, ensuring they are not charged beyond their means, regardless of expenses reaching up to PHP1 million.

The hospital also addressed staffing needs, expecting to receive an additional 157 nurses following negotiations with the Department of Budget and Management, despite a current shortage. This staffing boost aims to support the expanded facilities and ensure optimal patient care.