AC Health, the healthcare unit of Ayala Corp., broke ground for the country’s first specialty cancer hospital on Thursday.
“With cancer persisting as a critical public health problem with its tremendous impact on patients, the families, and the healthcare system at large, there is an urgent need to develop sustainable solutions” Fernando Zobel de Ayala, board chairman of AC Health, said in his opening remarks.
Located at the FTI Complex in Taguig City, the Healthway Cancer Care Center is aimed to be completed by July 2023. The 100-bed facility will offer its patients services such as screening, diagnosis, and treatment to post-cancer care.
AC Health said it partnered with Cancer Treatment Services International, Inc., which is an oncology services provider under Varian Medical Systems, Inc., to ensure affordable quality cancer care.
Republic Act No. 11215 or the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA) allows the private sector to create cancer specialty hospitals and clinics.
“Now more than ever, there is a need to provide better avenues for cancer patients to seek consultation and treatment. We are delighted that AC Health will be establishing the first specialized hospital for cancer in the Philippines,” Department of Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said.
The Healthway Cancer Care center will be part of AC Health’s healthcare portfolio, which includes: Healthway Clinics, Qualimed Hospitals, Generika Drugstores, IE Medica and MedEthix, and the HealthNow mobile app.
Parent firm Ayala Corp. and AC Health also donated over 1,000 doses of a flu vaccine to Taguig City during the groundbreaking ceremony. Taguig City Mayor Lino Edgardo S. Cayetano said these will be used to vaccinate members of the Philippine National Police, Traffic Management Office, barangay health workers, members of the Bureau of Fire Protection, and other city frontliners.
“The Ayala Group is delighted to support the City of Taguig in its efforts to protect the health of its constituents,” AC Health President and Chief Executive Officer Paolo Maximo F. Borromeo said.
AC Health has also collaborated with Taguig City to vaccinate their constituents across the A1 to A5 priority groups against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
As of July 13, AC Health has administered over 193,000 COVID-19 jabs across local government units, the Ayala group, and its partner companies.
Meanwhile, shares of Ayala Corp. at the local bourse closed unchanged at P754 each on Thursday. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte