The local government of Cainta, Rizal has partnered with Metro Antipolo Hospital to provide free heart procedures for qualified residents, a program inspired by Mayor Keith Nieto's own recent battle with heart disease.
Nieto announced the initiative after undergoing two heart procedures earlier this year. He said he instructed the municipality's hospital director, Dr. Sierra, to find a healthcare partner that could help make life-saving cardiac treatment more accessible to Cainteños.
“I want our fellow Cainteños to have access to angiogram and angioplasty procedures without worrying about the bill,” Nieto said.
He noted that the cost of heart procedures often discourages patients from seeking treatment.
“The procedure is too expensive. I am sure a lot of people are in the same situation as me but choose not to seek treatment because they can't afford. We will use our PhilHealth benefits, and the remaining balance will be covered by the local government,” he said.
According to Nieto, discussions with Metro Antipolo Hospital began shortly after his request. Two months later, hospital representatives informed him that the facility's new cardiac catheterization laboratory was ready to accommodate patients under the proposed partnership.
“Our new Cath Lab is now open, Mayor. We are ready to accommodate you. This is the same facility where they brought me to survive,” Nieto recalled hospital representatives telling him.
The mayor said he immediately moved to formalize the partnership, emphasizing that patients referred by the local government should not shoulder any expenses.
“Please rest assured that the patients I bring to you will not incur any expenses, as this is precisely my purpose for seeking a partner,” he said.
Nieto described the program as a major benefit for residents suffering from heart ailments and encouraged those experiencing cardiac problems to seek medical evaluation through the municipal health office.
“To those who have heart conditions, please visit Doc Sierra's clinic so I can enroll you in our new program and help you treat your clogged arteries,” he said.
Nieto was hospitalized in January after suffering severe chest pains. An angiogram later revealed multiple blockages in his major arteries, prompting a series of medical procedures.
Under the new arrangement, eligible residents will be able to undergo angiogram and angioplasty procedures using their PhilHealth coverage, with any remaining costs subsidized by the municipal government.