PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. is pushing to increase the number of government-run dialysis centers in the provinces to allow more Filipinos access to this essential service.
Data presented in a University of the Philippines (UP) webinar on Covid-19 and Dialysis held in December 2020 showed that one person dies of kidney failure every hour, his office pointed out Data also revealed that almost 35,000 Filipinos are undergoing dialysis.
Over the past decade, the number of new cases has grown at a rate of 15 percent every year.
Marcos Jr. said the plight of dialysis patients from the provinces who have no choice but to go to Metro Manila or other areas to avail themselves of dialysis services should be looked into.
These patients are compelled to travel long distances due to a lack of or sometimes absence of dialysis centers in their area.
“The situation of our dialysis patients is so dire. Many of them travel long distaces for many hours just to have dialysis, and they spend a lot.
So, instead of being able to spend money on their medicines and vitamis, these go to other expenses like travel and short-term rent” for those who need to stay closer to the dialysis centers, he said, partly in Filipino.
“We need to build more dialysis centers in the provinces so they don’t have to travel long distances or rent,” said Marcos.
According to Medical Pinas, an online resource for medical-related topics, a dialysis session in a private hospital costs from P2,000 to P7,000. WIn public hospitals, it ranges between P3,000 and P3,500. Although noticeably cheaper, the capacity of public hospitals and dialysis centers to cater to more patients is limited.
The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) standard-bearer said that should he win as president in next year’s polls, he will form a task force to coordinate with LGUs and other agencies to ensure free dialysis treatment for patients.
“We also plan to make the dialysis sessions free. What’s important is for us to spare them from further misery and lengthen their lives. It’s bad enough they are suffering in life, and they agonize further for their treatments. So, we will link up with local governments and government agencies responsible for their situation,” according to Marcos Jr.
He noted that the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. are helping now, “so I think that if we can add more dialysis centers in the provinces, we can take even better care of them.”