For many residents of Eastern Visayas, contracting a kidney disease is usually tantamount to a death sentence.
Not only are specialized dialysis centers and specialized hospitals few and far between, the prohibitive costs of dialysis sessions deter kidney patients from even seeking palliative care to prolong their lives.
This issue is what the Samar provincial government hopes to solve with a new dialysis center inside the Samar Provincial Hospital in Catbalogan City that was opened last March 23.
"We are optimistic that the new dialysis machines will help save lives and support more families in need," Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan said in an interview.
Officials said the facility provides comprehensive dialysis care, including hemodialysis sessions, physician consultations, laboratory testing, and essential medications such as erythropoietin injections, iron sucrose administration, intravenous antibiotics, and dialyzers.
Designed to operate year-round, the center schedules dialysis sessions three times a week to ensure continuous care for patients requiring long-term treatment.
With 15 dialysis machines, it is expected to serve up to 30 patients daily, with plans to expand its capacity depending on the demand.
All services are offered free of charge through the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the government's Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients program, helping ease the financial burden on patients and their families.
(With report from PNA)
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