A new cutting-edge CT scan unit has been unveiled at the Bangui District Hospital in Ilocos Norte to provide “faster, more accurate, and highly detailed” diagnoses to patients.

“This represents a transformative upgrade for the hospital, enabling our medical team to provide faster, more accurate, and highly detailed diagnoses,” the management of Bangui District Hospital said in a statement on Monday.

“The new CT scanner will significantly improve the detection and management of a wide range of conditions, including stroke, trauma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other critical illnesses.”

In a media interview, Dr. Rogelio Balbag, executive director of Ilocos Norte’s Hospital Management Council, said the 64-slice GE Revolution Maxima CT scanner will improve medical diagnostics and patient care not only in the province but also in nearby areas.

The advanced imaging technology was funded under the Health Facility Enhancement Program of the Department of Health (DOH), which aims to upgrade health facilities across the Philippines to ensure that all Filipinos have access to quality medical services.

The installation of a new CT scanner has brought excitement to nearby residents like Carmelita Abnasan, a midwife from Adams, Ilocos Norte.

“This is good news for us in the northern part of the province,” she said in an interview. “We no longer need to go far to avail of these medical services.”

She said with the new CT scanner at the Bangui District Hospital, patients from the municipality and its surrounding communities will no longer need to travel to Laoag or Batac for essential diagnostic services, ensuring timely treatment and better health outcomes close to home.

Health officials and residents, meanwhile, expressed gratitude to Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos for collaborating with the DOH in improving the healthcare infrastructure in the province.

The government-run Bangui District Hospital is the second largest public hospital in Ilocos Norte.

In August last year, the hospital broke ground for a four-story annex building that includes a new Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a pediatric ICU, a dedicated operating room for ob-gyne and surgery cases, a modern emergency room, a well-equipped pharmacy, an advanced laboratory, and a radiology department for the installation of a CT scan unit. (PNA)