VMMC gets shot in arm

The Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) has received P150 million donation from no less than President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to procure magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine.

Malacañang revealed on Tuesday that the hospital donation came through the President’s Social Fund following a request from the Department of National Defense (DND) for P150 million to purchase a new 1.5-Tesla MRI machine.

The request stemmed from last year’s inoperability of the hospital’s only MRI machine which was acquired in 2011.

Meantime, the dialysis center at VMMC serves over 200 patients, including World War II veterans, retired military personnel, and their dependents, offering both services and medications at no cost.

With a team of nine doctors and 27 nurses, the center is considering expansion to cater to a larger number of hemodialysis patients.

Additionally, plans are under way to establish a kidney transplantation center within the next three to five years, aiming to enhance the quality of life for its patients.

Established in 1955 through United States Public Law No. 865, which allocated US$9.4 million for its construction, the VMMC delivers high-quality hospitalization, medical care, and treatment to Filipino war veterans and retired personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

As a tertiary-level government hospital, it boasts a capacity of 766 beds and a staff of 1,562 individuals.

In the previous year, VMMC attended to 8,977 in-patients and 234,699 outpatients, demonstrating its significant role in healthcare provision.

Beyond its medical services, the institution actively engages in medical education, offering 22 accredited fellowship and residency training programs. Collaborating with various medical institutions such as schools, universities, and hospitals, VMMC contributes to training programs for aspiring healthcare professionals.

VMMC is also committed to community outreach, conducting regular civic action and outreach programs.

Last year alone, it carried out five medical missions, providing essential medical services to nearby communities, thereby fulfilling its mandate to serve the broader population beyond its confines.