The month of February is heart month not only because we celebrate Valentine’s Day but also because it is the month when awareness is raised about cardiovascular health.
Asian Hospital and Medical Center, one of the leading hospitals located in the south of Metro Manila, lined up a series of activities to raise awareness and prevent cardiovascular disease among Filipinos.
The hospital’s Heart Month celebration kicked off with the theme “Listen to the BEAT” last February 21, 2023 at the Asian Hospital main lobby. One of the highlights of the day’s celebration was the launch of the Asian Cardiovascular Institute’s new service offerings which include the Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Clinic Services the Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing or CPET, and Cardio Oncology.
New services
The Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Clinic offers the Intermittent Pneumatic Compression (IPC), a regimen designed to promote growth of new supporting blood vessels to increase the arterial blood flow to the lower extremities, using the ArtAssist® device. PAD is a condition where the arteries in the legs narrow or become clogged, resulting in reduced blood flow. These blockages can be dangerous because they restrict circulation to the limbs and organs.
The Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) is a specialized type of stress test or exercise test that measures your exercise ability. Information about the heart and lungs is collected to understand if the body’s response to exercise is normal or abnormal.
In Cardio Oncology, the heart needs to be taken cared of during and after cancer treatment. Adverse effects on the heart may be avoided by consulting a cardiologist and an oncologist.
The Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists (AMFPA) of the Philippines mounted an art exhibit at the hospital lobby from February 21 to 24, 2023. Proceeds from the sale of the paintings will go to the AMFPA and the Asian Hospital Charities Inc. The day ended with the entire Asian Hospital community participating in “Talented Hearts,” a song and dance competition that featured Asian Hospital talents. A total of P125,000 worth of paintings were sold at the exhibit.
An online symposium was held on February 22, 2023 with the title “Heart-to-Heart Talk: Raising Awareness on Innovative Cardiovascular Care.” Guest speakers included Dr. Fabio Enrique B. Posas, Head of Asian Hospital’s Structural Heart Disease and Endovascular Therapy, who spoke about “Minimally Invasive Procedure for Structural and Vascular Heart Disease,” and Dr. Eduardo O. Yambao, Head of Preventive Cardiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation, who tackled “Overview of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing.” The online webinar was well attended by doctors, nurses and allied medical staff.
Dedication of surgery suites
PROBABLY the highlight of the Heart Month Celebration is the dedication and renaming of Asian Hospital’s Operating Room Complex to “Dr. Jorge M. Garcia Surgical Suites” to celebrate the man who embodies what Asian Hospital is and will be in the future.
Dr. Garcia, together with his family, were on hand to witness the unveiling of the brass marker and signage also on February 21, to honor his contribution to nation building and his desire to build Asian Hospital for patients and the communities that it serves.
Leading the dedication ceremony were Dr. Beaver R. Tamesis, Asian Hospital’s President and CEO, and Dr. Jose M. Acuin, the hospital’s Chief Medical Officer.
Social responsibility
February is also National Dental Health Month and this year’s theme is “Ngiping Protektado, Ngiting Panalo.” To celebrate this, Asian Hospitals’ Department of Dental Medicine, headed by its chairman Dr. Peachy Tala-Sunico, together with Asian Charities Inc., conducted a Dental Medicine Mission last February 22, 2023 at the Marillac Hills National Training School for Girls.
The goal of the outreach program is to raise awareness on the importance of oral health. In addition to the health talk, there were games with prizes for lucky winners and food packs for participants.