ITOGON, Benguet – The long wait of close to one hundred dialysis patients for accessible and affordable treatment is now over following the recent opening of the town’s 12-bed dialysis center located at Sitio Malasin, barangay Ucab here.
The establishment of the Itogon dialysis center was a commitment made by Mayor Bernard S. Waclin during the campaign period for May 2022 that was realized within 15 months after he assumed office as the municipal chief executive on July 1, 2022.
“We are grateful to the Lord for guiding us through that paved the way for us to hurdle the challenges we encountered while working for the establishment of the dialysis center. We are also grateful to the private sector for being supportive in providing the municipal government with the appropriate assistance in the form of dialysis machines and ambulances, among others, that completed the requirements for the operation of the dialysis center,” Mayor Waclin stressed.
The Itogon dialysis center is a partnership between the municipal government and Modern Care, a private entity with expertise in the management and operation of health facilities such as the newly opened dialysis center in the municipality.
The municipal government provided the land and the structure while private donors such as the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC), the members Church of God International (MGCI), provided the dialysis machines and ambulances that will be used in the operation of the dialysis center.
Mayor Waclin said that the municipal government and Modern Care will assess and evaluate the initial operation of the dialysis center before deciding on expanding its initial capacity as there are still donors that have committed to provide additional machines for the facility.
Rep. Eric Yap congratulated the municipal officials of Itogon headed by Mayor Waclin for their passion in pursuing the realization of the establishment and operation of the dialysis center that will serve as a model for other local governments to emulate to enhance the delivery of health care services in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
“We laud the painstaking efforts of our municipal officials for being able to work out the operation of the dialysis center that will make the treatment for kidney patients accessible and affordable,” Yap said.
He added that as his contribution for the sustainable operation of the facility, he will work out with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Health the allocation of funds to cover some of the treatment expenses of the patients at the facility.
The Itogon dialysis center will be managed by Modern Care with around 14 personnel composed of 4 physicians, 8 nurses, cashiers, utility, technicians, among others.
From October 16 to December 31, 2023, Yap will personally provide burgers and juice for the dialysis patients who will be undergoing treatment in the said center as his contribution to help ease the burden of the patients.
For his part, Gov. Diclas pointed out that the Itogon dialysis center is the first facility that will be operational under the management of the municipal government that is why other municipalities are trying to benchmark on the success of Itogon in the operation of a similar facility in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
He claimed that the process in securing the license and providing the necessary equipment and trained personnel who will oversee the operation of the dialysis center is tedious that is why the municipal officials led by Mayor Waclin just proved that it is doable through collaboration and coordination among the government agencies, the local government and the private sector.
Itogon is the first local government to establish and operate a dialysis center that will make the treatment of kidney illnesses accessible and affordable.
Dialysis patients who were interviewed randomly claimed that the operation of the facility is a welcome development because they no longer will have to wake up early in the morning to get the first trip to Baguio city and meet their scheduled treatment at the public and private dialysis treatment centers in the city.
Further, they stressed that the assistance from the municipal government and Rep. Yap will definitely contribute in easing the burden of having to shell out money and pay for their dialysis treatment not covered by the Philippine Health Insurance corporation.
The patients and their relatives expressed their gratitude to Mayor Waclin for pursuing his commitment to establish an operational dialysis center in the municipality that have made treatment accessible and affordable.