Lingayen, Philippines – Pangasinan sets the pace in health care delivery in Region 1 with the acquisition of a state-of-the-art X-ray machine capable of sending X-ray results through the Internet to radiology centers worldwide.

Gov. Amado Espino Jr. led the unveiling of the digital X-ray machine at the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital in Bolingit, San Carlos City last Thursday.

Dr. Jackson Soriano, chief of hospital II, said the new medical equipment was acquired by the provincial government through public and private sources to provide quality and better services to Pangasinenses.

The state-run hospital in Bolingit is now the first and only province-owned medical facility in Region 1 to have such a sophisticated X-ray machine.

“An advancement in diagnostic radiology, this modern health care equipment will improve the diagnostic capability of our hospital as results of this radiology system can be sent to radiology centers for interactive discussion through the Internet. In addition, this filmless system is cost-effective because it does not require processor and reagents, and has less manpower requirements,” Soriano said.

Other new health care equipment housed at the provincial hospital include an ultrasound machine, 10 cardiac monitor machines for patients with heart diseases, four ventilators for patients suffering from respiratory failure, and four dialysis machines.

Source:http://www.philstar.com/nation/article.aspx?publicationSubCategoryId=67&;articleId=825482

" Urine is normally used in drug detection, but Dr. Enrique Ostrea discovered that the use of meconium (the baby's first stools) was more sensitive since the drugs taken by the mother accumulate in the fetus' intestines. This mec test is now used by the US National Institutes of Health, and Ostrea has received numerous awards and US patents. "