Perhaps one of the most significant effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among Filipinos is that a lot of us started becoming more conscious about our health. It made us mindful about the way we take care of our bodies: our diet, our physical activities, and even how our own environment affects us.
As we get older, this proactive approach to our health becomes a more critical responsibility, as the risk of disease grows higher with age. This is especially true for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). In fact, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reveal that CVDs are the top causes of mortality among Filipinos. In both 2022 and 2023, ischemic heart diseases claimed almost more lives than neoplasms and cerebrovascular diseases combined.
The author with the partners, advocates, and speakers from Novartis Healthcare Philippines and Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) during the launch of the “Unblocked Movement – Inspiring Conversations on Heart Health: Turning Second Chances to Lifelong Victories” roundtable series.
Addressing this glaring health concern was at the center of the recently held roundtable series entitled Unblocked Movement – Inspiring Conversations on Heart Health: Turning Second Chances to Lifelong Victories. This initiative was initiated by Novartis Healthcare Philippines with the Swiss Chamber of Commerce (SwissCham), and in collaboration with the Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC).
The Unblocked Movement addresses the country’s most fatal disease
My journey as a health advocate over the years has led to many unforgettable opportunities, and yours truly again had the chance to stand beside some of our country’s leading innovators in healthcare. As the moderator of the Unblocked Movement roundtable, I personally heard the inspiring stories and the fiery passion of every guest and dignitary.
The roundtable discussion was held to spark innovation and collaboration on the healthcare sector’s approach towards managing heart attack patients. Ultimately, it was about giving every patient every opportunity for a ‘second chance’ at life.
Mr. Raul Pagdanganan, CSMC’s President and CEO, who also happens to be a very good friend of mine, shared how this was a personal endeavor for him. Raul shared how, just a few months ago, doctors found a small blockage in the arteries of his heart. After a few years running CSMC, he was now the patient.
CSMC President & CEO Mr. Raul Pagdanganan and DOH Undersecretary Dr. Elmer Punzalan affirm their commitment to delivering accessible, compassionate, and high-quality health care to a greater number of heart patients across both the public and private sectors in the country.
But with the strides that healthcare and medicine has made over the years, what would have been a long and difficult path of treatment was now “already considered to be a simple procedure,” said the CSMC president. “With advancements in medical technology and procedures, conditions that once seemed incurable are now manageable, offering us second chances.”
One of the Unblocked Movement’s key objectives was to promote awareness among the public and key stakeholders alike of the importance of lowering LDL-c, or what we know better as bad cholesterol, as well as enlighten them on cardiovascular risks in preventing sickness and death due to CVDs, where atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) are the top contributor.
“In line with our Unblocked Movement, Novartis is privileged to collaborate with Cardinal Santos Medical Center, one of the country’s leading and most respected health institutions, in raising awareness, and spurring action and behavioral change toward achieving better heart health for patients,” said Mr. Joel Chong, Novartis Healthcare Philippines Country President.
Even in Switzerland, managing cardiovascular disease remains a challenging undertaking, made difficult by factors including our “aging population, lifestyle factors, healthcare disparities, high cost of treatment, and public awareness and education,” said Swiss Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr. Nicholas Bruhl.
LDL-c levels and ASCVD are so closely related that, according to Dr. Lourdes Ella Santos, addressing low cholesterol could prevent 75% of deaths from this disease worldwide – those are millions of lives that could be freed from the threat of this avoidable disease.
(From left to right) Novartis Country President Joel Chong, CSMC President & CEO Raul Pagdanganan, Swiss Ambassador Nicolas Bru?hl, and SwissCham Philippines Chairperson Christine Fajardo expressed their hope that this roundtable series will create more public.
If you want to know your cholesterol numbers and your risk for CVD, you can visit www.unblockedmovement.com or scan the QR code on the left. SwissCham Philippines Chairperson Ms. Christine Fajardo introduced the microsite in her closing remarks, encouraging everyone to start their journey in the fight against heart disease.
Cardinal Santos Medical Center’s 50 years of healthcare excellence
CSMC’s partnership with Novartis and SwissCham arrives at a significant point in the hospital’s history as well. This month, CSMC celebrated its 50th year as an institution of excellence in healthcare and saving lives.
“As Cardinal Santos Medical Center celebrates its 50th anniversary, we continue to build our heritage of care and excellence by forming partnerships with key stakeholders in healthcare such as Novartis,” said Dr. Antonio Say, CSMC Chief Medical Officer “This roundtable series builds on our 50 years of caring for the cardiovascular health of patients in the Philippines,” Dr. Ariel Miranda, CSMC Cardiovascular Institute Chairman added as well.
Dr. Ariel Miranda, Chairman of the CSMC Cardiovascular Institute, shared the CSMC’s Community- Based Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Program, a pioneering initiative aimed at fostering improved heart health in Filipino communities.
At 50 years, the CSMC has become one of the country’s leading institutions in healthcare. Through the many Centers of Excellence it has established, including those in Neurosurgery, Cardiology, Oncology, among others, it also ensures a comprehensive healing journey for its patients. Patients can expect high standards of care and treatment from this award-winning hospital.
Under the inspiring leadership of Raul, I’m confident that the years ahead for CSMC will continue to be full of success. I believe in his forward-thinking attitude, and his propensity to incorporate the perspective of the patient in his decisions. One man in particular must have seen this as well, as it was Manuel V. Pangilinan himself who trusted Raul with the job.
My family and I are personal witnesses to Raul’s heart for the job, after he personally ensured that my husband Nonong was taken care of in CSMC when he fell ill during the pandemic. Raul offered us hope during that anxious moment in our lives, and helped my husband get a second chance at life.
“Running a hospital is creating an environment where second chances are possible, where every patient receives the care they need to turn their health battles into victories,” Raul said.
My congratulations to Raul and CSMC on the golden anniversary celebration. May more patients find second chances, and fifty more years as well!
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