• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Riverside Medical Center Inc. (RMCI) broke ground Aug. 14 on its nuclear medicine unit, the first in Bacolod and the Negros Island Region, and is targeted for completion by June next year.
RMCI president and chief executive officer, Genesis Goldi Golingan, said at the groundbreaking ceremony that, through this facility, “we’re taking a significant step forward towards early detection, accurate diagnosis, and precise patient-centered treatment”.
The nucmed unit is critical for diagnosing and treating various diseases, excels at detecting diseases in their early stages – or before symptoms appear – and offers targeted treatments, the RMCI said.
“Detecting diseases in their early stages, sometimes even before other imaging techniques can reveal abnormalities, is particularly crucial for conditions like cancer, where early diagnosis can significantly impact treatment outcomes,” it added.
This facility is more than just a construction project, Gensoli stressed. “Healthcare is not a privilege but the right of everybody. Regardless of status or circumstances, one should never be denied the opportunity to life-saving care.”
Department of Health undersecretary, Dr. Mary Ann Maestral, in her message read by DOH-NIR assistant regional director Adrian Hort Ramos, lauded the RMCI on the construction of the new nuclear medicine unit at its Cancer Care Center.
“The nuclear medicine unit marks a huge leap in the RMCI’s capability to diagnose and treat cancer and other complex illnesses,” Maestral said. “By integrating advanced molecular imaging and therapies into your already excellent services, you’re offering patients early detection, more accurate treatment, and better outcomes, all without needing to leave the province.”
This means a lot to patients and their families, she said, noting that this is also part of RMCI’s continued commitment to innovation, excellence, and to the health and wellbeing of every person served.
Maestral added that the nucmed unit and the Cancer Care Center become part of the broader RMCI Centers of Excellence, which also includes the Heart and Vascular Care Center, Kidney and Urology Care Center, Brain and Spine Center, as well the Una Konsulta, the central outpatient services, and the 24/7 drive-thru pharmacy.
All of these centers create a healthcare experience that is complete, compassionate, and focused on healing, she stressed. | CGC
