MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday said the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) is aiming to produce world-class cardiac and vascular surgeons in the country, as the hospital recently inaugurated its National Academy for Cardiac and Vascular Surgery (PHC-NACVS).
In an episode of dzMM Teleradyo, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said that as cascardiovascular diseases like heart attack and stroke remain the leading cause of death in the Philippines, more and more Filipinos would need to undergo cardiovascular surgery.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, ischemic heart disease, or coronary heart disease, was still the leading cause of death among Filipinos in 2024. It accounted for 96,049 cases or 19.3 percent of deaths in the country from January to November 2024.
“This academic institution aims to produce more experts in the community that will address increasing cases of heart diseases needing immediate operation,” DOH Health Promotion Director Tina Marasigan said in the same episode.
In a separate Facebook post on Friday, the PHC said the educational institution “stands as the Philippines’ premier hub for specialized, unified, and competency-based training in cardiac and vascular surgery.”
The PHC also said that the institution aims to expand training opportunities nationwide; decentralize specialized surgical training beyond Metro Manila; and strengthen regional capacity for advanced cardiac and vascular care.
PHC Executive Director Dr. Avenilo Aventura Jr. said the academy “is more than just an educational institution” but a “national investment in the future of cardiac and cardiovascular surgery.”
“It will strengthen our capacity to produce world-class Filipino surgeons, professionals, equipped not only with technical expertise but with compassion, integrity, and the heart to serve,” Aventura said in a video message shown in the radio episode.
“So by elevating training standards and expanding opportunities for learning, we ensure that every Filipino, regardless of region or socio-economic status, benefits from high-quality cardiovascular care,” Aventura added.
The PHC-NACVS is partnering with the following health institutions:
- Philippine Heart Center
- Western Visayas Medical Center
- Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center
- Northern Mindanao Medical Center
The PHC, a government-run hospital, was established through the Presidential Decree No. 673 and inaugurated on February 14, 1975. /das