First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos on Friday led the inauguration of the Julius K. Quiambao Medical and Wellness Center (JKQ Medical) along the Bayambang-San Carlos Road in the village of Asin, this town.

The JKQ Medical, to be managed by The Medical City, is a 100-bed capacity Level 2 hospital housed in a six-story building.

It is set to open within the year.

To be manned by 250 medical experts and 350 support staff, JKQ Medical will have specialized units for eye care, women’s healthcare, and mental wellness.

It will also offer imaging services like CT scan, 3D ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging and cone beam computed tomography.

JKQ Medical chair Dr. Cezar Quiambao said their rates will be among the lowest in the province.

“Our goal is not just to treat illnesses but to empower people to lead healthier and more fulfilling lives,” he said during the inauguration ceremony.

Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Dr. Emmie Liza Perez-Chiong, who represented Secretary Dr. Teodoro Herbosa, expressed full support to the hospital.

“Ang DOH ay may vision na tayo (The DOH has this vision that), us Filipinos, will be the healthiest in 2040 and I welcome this health facility to help us to become one of healthiest in Asia in 2040,” she said.

Philippine Health Insurance Corporation president Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. said opening of the new hospital is a welcome news, noting the province’s around three million population.

“An accessible healthcare facility would lead to earlier detection and treatment of diseases and reduce the burden on other tertiary hospitals. In a large province like this one, where transportation can be a challenge, having a hospital could also ease the strain on existing healthcare facilities,” he said.

“To have yet another partner healthcare provider through which we can strengthen the delivery of the national health insurance program to the Filipino people is a great development,” he added. (PNA)