STA. RITA, Pampanga — Those who suffer head injuries during accidents in the northern part of Luzon do not have to go to Metro Manila anymore as the Diosdado Macapagal Memorial Hospital (DMMH) here has opened the first Head Injury Unit in Central Luzon.

Dr. Jay Rivera, a Kapampangan surgeon, will head the unit, which is a first of its kind in North and Central Luzon.

Rivera said unit will be manned by fully qualified medical and nursing staff – from surgeons to cardiologists, anesthesiologists and nurses.

"Patients can expect operations of international standards," Rivera said.

Gov. Lilia G. Pineda cited the spirit of volunteerism of the doctors and nurses who will man the unit.

“I am very happy and proud for the doctors and nurses who committed their services to the unit which performs surgical operations,” Pineda said.

She said patients brought to the Jose B. Lingad Regional Memorial Hospital (JBLRMH) needing this kind of medical attention may now be referred to the DMMH’s Head Injury Unit.

The governor, together with Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, provincial board member Monina Laus, and Dr. Eddie Ponio, expressed elation over this new addition to Pampanga’s life-saving facilities, the first being the dialysis center at the same hospital.

Pineda praised Rivera and company, who despite successful medical practices elsewhere, have opted to give their services for free to their fellow Kapampangans with their voluntary manning of the DMMH Head Injury Unit.

“They are unsung heroes,” the governor said.