The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently donated neonatal equipment to Laguna Medical Center in Santa Cruz, Philippines.
The donation aims to address a lack of medical equipment and to assist provincial doctors ensure safety of newborns, the Church’s Philippines Newsroom reported. The equipment can monitor newborns, reduce the risk of complications and long-term health problems, and improve chances of survival for premature or critically ill babies.
The March 27 turnover ceremony was attended by several medical directors, service missionaries and Church leaders, and civic leaders, including the provincial governor, Ramil L. Hernandez.
The ceremony was also attended by members of the Santa Cruz Philippines Stake Welfare and Self-Reliance Committee, members of the stake presidency, service missionaries and other local leaders.
Judy A. Rondilla, Laguna Medical Center chief, expressed gratitude for the donation that will help newborns in critical care whose families don’t have many resources.
Francia Sobrevinas, pediatrics head for the medical center, said the equipment is an answer to a prayer. “It was my prayer as a mother and a doctor that this equipment be provided, because I know the feeling of a mother who tries to pray to save her baby in the neonatal department, a matter of life and death seeing your child amid a critical condition,” she said.
Santa Cruz Stake President Oliver B. Gomez thanked Laguna Medical Center for giving the Church an opportunity to help the community. Elder Brendan Hayne and Sister Patricia Hayne, service missionaries, noted the donation is part of members’ worldwide effort to support the Church’s humanitarian goals.
