Belgian philanthropist donates equipment to Leyte hospital, health centers

CARIGARA, Leyte, Feb. 2 (PNA) -- Belgian philanthropist Patrick Haghedooren based in Southern Leyte provided anew multi-million worth of hospital equipment for the hospital and health centers in this town.

Haghedooren arrived on Thursday with a 40-foot cargo containing donations of 30 hospital beds, delivery tables, mattresses, chairs, tables, sofas, cabinets, hospital staff uniforms and several other medical instrument to equip the local hospital here.

All the items were donations from different hospitals in Belgium and were shipped to Leyte via Cebu.

The Belgian national previously donated similar hospital equipment to Camotes Island and in some towns in Southern Leyte province. This time, Haghedooren chose to help the Carigara District Hospital and some health centers.

"I have seen for myself how lacking in equipment, even beds, some of hospitals here are. Patients have to lie in worn-out mattresses and rusty hospital beds," Haghedooren said.

The 30 electronic hospital beds alone recently donated cost around PHP6 million, it was learned. 

Haghedooren usually brings in the medical equipment all the way from Belgium, at his own expense.

Meanwhile, Roque Aguilar, a local philanthropist who has been gathering donations to the growing Carigara District Hospital (CDH) says the arrival of these hospital equipment is timely considering that the hospital’s new wing is soon to open, increasing the hospital to 75-bed capacity.

CDH has been undergoing face-lifting and expansion after most of its buildings were destroyed during super typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

Just this December 2016, Haghedooren brought to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) 28 electronic beds, 45 hospital mattresses, 53 hospital fireproof doors and 21 folding bedside cabinets.

It also includes 149 items of medical clothing, 20 electronic blood extraction chairs used for blood transfusion and 21 assorted equipment such as wheelchairs, weighing scales and cardiac bicycles.

Prior to that, the Belgian national distributed water tanks to small communities in Camotes Island.

Haghedooren said gathering these donations has become a hobby of his, seeing that help is very much needed in the countryside, particularly government hospitals that really need more equipment to function well.

“I really hope these (equipment) will help patients recover faster and help hospitals in their service,” Haghedooren said.

On the other hand, Carigara Mayor Eduardo Ong extended his gratitude the philanthropist saying these equipment will go a long way in furnishing community health centers in the town.

The mayor pointed out that with maternal delivery now only allowed in hospitals and birthing centers, the donated equipment can be put into good use.

The donor also assured additional donations of wheel chairs to the town of Carigara to be delivered soon.(PNA)

JBP/SQM/AHLETTE C. REYES/EGR