ITOGON, Benguet – The town’s 12-bed hemodialysis center that will provide free treatment to residents will be fully operational by August 8, 2023 to help in decongesting government and private facilities in the province.
Mayor Bernard S. Waclin said that the municipal government is awaiting the license to operate to be issued by the health department and the accreditation to be handed down by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) for the dialysis center prior to its operation.
He disclosed that the put up of the facility is a true reflection of the principle of public-private partnership (PPP) as the government and the private sector pooled their resources to realize the eventual operation of the dialysis center.
The municipal chief executive said the local government shelled around P15 million for the improvement of the government-owned structure and the purchase of the necessary equipment such as the generator, aside from the installation of the lighting fixtures around it while kind-hearted individuals and corporations donated the required dialysis machines and the ambulances, among other equipment to ensure the smooth operation of the facility.
The put up of the dialysis center is one of the flagship projects of Mayor Waclin who recognized the immense need of dialysis patients to be given accessible and affordable treatment.
Mayor Waclin expressed his gratitude to the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC) and the Itogon Suyoc Resources, Inc. (ISRI) for donating the dialysis machines for the facility and the members Church of God International (MCGI) for donating an ambulance to transport dialysis patients from there residence to the center and vice versa.
He also thanked the SRPC in advance for assuring the donation of an additional ambulance in addition to the one from the MCGI and the emergency vehicle earlier turned over by Rep. Eric Yap to the municipal government.
Further, Waclin stated that Rep. Yap also assured his support in shouldering part of the bills of the dialysis patients so that the treatment of the residents will be free pursuant to the vision of the local government.
Earlier, the municipal government entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Modern Health Care Management Company (MHMC) for the latter to operate the dialysis center through the PPP scheme.
The dialysis center is located in the government-owned building at sitio Malasin, barangay Ucab which is accessible to the dialysis patients.
Waclin appointed Dr. Josefina Luspian as the dialysis center’s medical director to ensure the sustainable operation of the town’s newest health care facility.
The mayor explained that the municipal government intends to expand the capacity of the dialysis center depending on the outcome of its initial operation to serve more constituents needing dialysis services.
Waclin assured that the facility will be open to everyone wanting to avail of the dialysis treatment provided that there will be vacant schedules not only to residents but also to other people from neighboring communities.
