Samar hospital receives CT scanner from US foundation

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, June 6-- A US-based foundation donated a computerized tomography (CT) scanner to a state-run hospital in this city. 

“The people of Samar province express their unending gratitude to the World Medical Relief Inc. for giving hospital equipment and medical supplies to the Samar Provincial Hospital,” Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan-de los Santos said.

World Medical Relief, Inc, turned over on Tuesday and a CT scanner and medical supplies to the local government. 

The scanner combines a series of X-ray images taken from different angles and uses computer processing to create cross-sectional images, or slices, of the bones, blood vessels and soft tissues inside a human body. 

The foundation headed by Dr. David Zarate and Chairperson Jefferson Lau led the turnover to Tan and Samar Provincial Hospital chief Maribeth Pedrigal. 

“This hospital equipment is of great help for providing effective and efficient delivery of health services to our people. There is no need to go to Tacloban anymore,” Tan added.

Aside from CT scanner, the hospital will be having a dialysis machine soon, according to the governor.

Last month, World Medical Relief Inc. also turned over same equipment to Calbayog District Hospital in Calbayog City.

The World Medical Relief is a multi-funded, non-profit charitable organization based in Detroit, USA established in 1953 by Irene M. Auberlin, who mobilized her friends and family to collect food, baby clothing, cribs, and medicines to ship overseas for a Korean war orphan.

The foundation mission is to impact the well-being of the medically impoverished communities by providing donations and goods, including medical, dental, and laboratory items. 

The donations are distributed in a non-discriminatory manner without regard to race, color, gender, religion, nationality or political beliefs, according to Zarate. (Roel T. Amazona/PNA)