MANILA, Philippines — Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center (CGHMC) welcomed a delegation from Papua New Guinea (PNG) on October 28, 2026, as part of a familiarization visit coordinated with the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Philippine Embassy in PNG. The visit aimed to showcase the hospital’s medical capabilities and explore opportunities for healthcare partnerships and patient referrals between the Philippines and PNG. The visit is also built upon an earlier bilateral meeting with the PNG Special Parliamentary Committee on Health Matters, the Philippine Embassy in PNG, and the Philippine Department of Tourism in August last year in Port Moresby where it was confirmed there was a high demand for tertiary care – specifically for cardiovascular surgery, oncology, and kidney transplantation – to address the rising incidence of Non-Communicable Diseases in PNG.
The visiting delegation included Mr. Erick Seta, Papua New Guinea Parliament Representative; Colonel Sandeep Sharadkumar Shaligram, Chief Executive Officer of Pacific International Hospital; Ms. Janet Roland Sios, Director for Finance and Administration of Paradise Hospital; Mr. Thandava Krishna Rompicharla, Managing Director of Southern Cross Assurance Limited; and Mr. Louis Oppong, Director of Fullerton Health.
They were accompanied by His Excellency Edgar Tomas Q. Auxilian, Philippine Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, and Dr. Paulo Benito S. Tugbang, Director IV for Product and Market Development of the Department of Tourism, together with other DOT representatives.
The visit began with a guided tour of CGHMC’s facilities, led by Medical Director Dr. Samuel D. Ang, providing the delegates with an overview of the hospital’s specialized medical services, infrastructure, and advanced diagnostic and treatment technologies.
A formal program followed at the Presidential Board Room of the CGHMC Medical Arts Building, where the delegation was welcomed by CGHMC President and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Kelly H. Sia and members of the hospital’s management team.
In his welcome remarks, Mr. Sia highlighted CGHMC’s 135-year history as a non-stock, non-profit tertiary healthcare institution owned and operated by the Philippine Chinese Charitable Association, Inc. (PCCAI). He emphasized the hospital’s continued investments in advanced medical technologies, specialized services, and healthcare infrastructure, including its ongoing transformation into an Integrated Smart Specialty Medical Center.
Mr. Sia also underscored the importance of building meaningful partnerships to improve access to specialized healthcare services for patients from Papua New Guinea, including access to The CGH Residences, a hostel-type of accommodation, also owned and operated by PCCAI, for patients not needing confinement. Both CGHMC and The CGH Residences are accredited by the DOT for medical tourism.
“We will always be at your service. We will customize based on your needs,” he assured the delegation, extending CGHMC’s hand in friendship and partnership.
In his message, Ambassador Auxilian expressed his appreciation for CGHMC’s warm welcome and commended the hospital on its 135th anniversary. Recalling his own experience as a patient at CGHMC during his college years, he shared his admiration for the hospital’s development and its continued commitment to serving both Filipino patients and those from overseas.
The Ambassador also reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Papua New Guinea, particularly through medical tourism and healthcare cooperation. He welcomed the visit as a continuation of the engagement initiated during the Philippine medical tourism delegation’s visit to Port Moresby in August 2025 whereby a structured health tourism partnership, a clear patient referral pathway from PNG to the Philippines to access specialized medical treatments not available in PNG has been proposed.
Dr. Tugbang, meanwhile, emphasized the Department of Tourism’s role in connecting healthcare providers, insurance companies, medical tourism integrators, and government institutions to establish a coordinated system of care for international patients.
“When patients travel across borders for care, they seek three fundamental pillars,” Tugbang said, identifying clinical excellence, innovative technology, and compassionate support throughout recovery as essential elements of medical tourism.
Tugbang further outlined opportunities for direct hospital-to-hospital referrals, teleconsultations, clinical exchanges, and improved overseas insurance coverage ensuring insurance portability, facilitating direct access to healthcare services in the Philippines. He also emphasized the importance of developing policy and regulatory frameworks that would support safe, efficient, and financially accessible cross-border medical care.
The program featured presentations highlighting CGHMC’s specialized medical capabilities and advancements in minimally invasive procedures. Dr. Timothy Dy, Chairman of the CGHMC Heart Institute, delivered “Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: The CGHMC Experience,” providing an overview of the hospital’s experience with this advanced cardiac procedure.
Dr. Jason Letran, Director of the RoboCare Surgical Center and Director of Clinical Operations, followed with “The State of Robotic Surgery in CGHMC,” highlighting the hospital’s developments in robotic-assisted surgery and its applications in modern surgical care.
During the open forum, the delegates shared insights into the healthcare landscape in Papua New Guinea, including challenges in healthcare accessibility, infrastructure, and the availability of specialized medical services. The exchange provided a deeper understanding of the country’s healthcare needs and the potential role of international partnerships in improving access to medical care.
The visiting delegates also expressed their admiration for CGHMC’s facilities, medical capabilities, and institutional development. In particular, they commended the hospital’s ability to sustain and continuously improve its operations as a non-stock, non-profit healthcare institution, acknowledging the significance of maintaining such a model in today’s healthcare environment.
The discussions highlighted opportunities for closer collaboration between CGHMC and healthcare institutions in PNG, particularly in facilitating patient referrals and improving access to specialized medical treatments.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Andre Daniel E. Villanueva, Director of Business Development and Quality Management, thanked the visiting delegation, Ambassador Auxilian, and the Department of Tourism for including CGHMC in the familiarization visit. As part of the hospital’s Medical Tourism Program, he expressed the hospital’s interest in formalizing partnerships as part of the Philippine DOT and Department of Health’s Health and Wellness Provider Network serving PNG, as well as establishing direct collaborations with individual healthcare institutions and organizations.
Dr. Villanueva also emphasized CGHMC’s readiness to develop customized arrangements according to the needs of its prospective partners and, most importantly, the patients they serve.
The program concluded with a luncheon, providing an opportunity for the participants to continue their discussions and strengthen professional relationships.
The visit provided a valuable opportunity to deepen mutual understanding and explore practical avenues for healthcare cooperation. CGHMC looks forward to continued engagement with its counterparts and partners in PNG in expanding access to specialized medical services for patients seeking treatment in the Philippines.
