MRI scan now available at LCGHospital

LAOAG CITY, September 1 – As commitment to provide modern medical services to the people, the city-run Laoag City General Hospital (LCGH) has inaugurated new medical equipment in time for its fifth year anniversary celebration on August 26.

First in Ilocos Norte, the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is a modern apparatus that provides high-tech diagnostic procedure on stroke and other delicate internal ailments.

Dr. Francis “Dax” Dacuycuy, hospital chief, said that the equipment will be manned by highly trained radiologist so, the reliability and accuracy of the result is not questionable.

“We also have a ‘tech-fax’ system which transmits the scanned diagnosis to our specialists for immediate interpretation and result,” he said.

According to Dacuycuy, people in Ilocos Norte used to go to medical institutions in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, San Fernando City, La Union, or Metro Manila for the MRI examination, which prompted the LCGH in partnership with the Himex Corporation to bring the equipment in Ilocos Norte.

“Through the availability of the equipment in LCGH, people will be able to save cost and energy and to avail an accessible medication for their illness,” added Dacuycuy.

LCGH’s acquisition of the MRI machine is through a private-public partnership scheme between the Laoag City government and Himex which costs P50 million.

Under the agreement, the Laoag City government will pay at least P300,000 monthly for 10 years.

The payment changes every year and will start once the MRI machine begins its full operation. The city government would then own the MRI machine after 10 years.

Dacuycuy described an MRI scan as similar to a computed tomography (CT) scan. An MRI scan, however, has the highest diagnostic procedure especially in the head portion of a human body.

On the specific MRI fee, Dacuycuy said that it would most likely be similar to the CT scan fee but would still be depending on the diagnostic test needed. He also disclosed that the MRI fees would still be proposed through an amendment of the LCGH revenue code which the Sangguniang Panlungsod here would still need to pass, to be approved by the Laoag City mayor.

Meanwhile, Dacuycuy said that the LCGH will still give discounts to indigent patients. Dacuycuy also took pride that the LCGH is the only hospital in Ilocos Norte to have two highly modernized equipment (CT and MRI scans) under one roof, which means a better, modern medical services to the public. (Cherry Joy D. Garma/PIA1-Ilocos Norte)