Gov. Albert Garcia, Mayor Maria Angela Garcia and provincial medical assistance chief Chalor Howell Icban at the opening of the dialysis center. Photo by Ernie Esconde
DINALUPIHAN, Bataan — The provincial government in coordination with the local government unit on Wednesday opened a dialysis center here that will offer free services especially to indigent patients.
Known as the 1Bataan Malasakit Dialysis Center, the facility will serve not only the Dinalupihan townsfolk but also those of neighboring towns.
Chalor Howell Icban, provincial medical assistance head, said that the provincial government used to give dialysis patients cash to buy medicines and have their dialysis at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga but sometimes end with no more stock of the required drugs.
He said that JBL cannot be blamed if at times it runs out of stock because the hospital caters to six provinces in Central Luzon.
“Ngayon na may dialysis center na sa Dinalupihan ay matutulungan na namin ng husto ang mga taga-Bataan, maiiwas tuloy sa threat ng coronavirus disease at sa malaking gastos at pagod,” Icban said.
He estimated that the Dinalupihan center can serve 89 to 96 patients a day, and should there be more patients, it can undertake overtime services. He also assured that 15 days before the center runs out of stock of the medicines, it will already be ready for the replacement.
Icban said they will assign in the center a staff from the provincial social welfare and development office to attend to patients in need of financial assistance or needing guarantee letters for the National Kidney and Transplant Institute or the Philippine Heart Center.
“Hindi na sila kailangang pumunta pa sa Bataan capitol sa Balanga City,” the medical assistance chief said.
Gov. Albert Garcia said the Dinalupihan center is just the beginning because the provincial government will be putting similar facilities in other towns with Mariveles as their next target.
“Ang purpose nito ay ilapit ang serbisyo ng dialysis at medical assistance para sa mga kababayan dahil ang journey nila ay hindi madali. Ang pagkuha ng medical assistance ay sinubukan nang padaliin sa kapitolyo pero kung malayong lugar ay pupunta pa doon kaya pinaayos na ang sistema para hindi na sila mahirapan,” the governor said.
“Pinagsama na ang PSWD at sina Howell Icban na nagbibigay ng assistance kapag may sakit sa national private o national government hospitals sa iisang bubong na lang at naglagay ng call center para sa feedback upang makatulong sa pag-improve ng serbisyo,” Garcia added.
He said that through the call center, patients will not find it hard to be scheduled at the dialysis center.
“Magiging sandalan na ang Dinalupihan center ng mga nagdi–dialysis at hopefully ma-schedule na sila sa kanilang transplant at maging successful ito para maging maayos na ang kanilang pamumuhay,” the governor said.
He added that the provincial government is also concentrating on public or preventive health in view of many people undergoing dialysis who are also suffering from diabetes and hypertension.
“Ang ating layunin ay we always go back to our vision na by 2020, actually 2021 na nga, na ang Bataan will have the lowest poverty incidence resulting from quality growth, attaining top-level human development index in the Philippines,” he said.
Dinalupihan Mayor Maria Angela Garcia acknowledged the big help extended by the provincial government especially to indigent patients who almost pay nothing when hospitalized.
“Ka-lifeline namin ang probinsya lalo na para samahihirap na may sakit dahil sa panahon ngayon ay napakahirap dahil sa Covid-19. Napakahirap pumasok ng ospital dahil may triage at maraming kailangang gawin para masiguro ang safety ng mga pasyente at mga duktor,” the mayor said.
“Mahirap pero dahil sa mga innovations na ibinibigay ng probinsya, ni Cong. Geraldine Roman, Cong. Jose Enrique Garcia III, at dagdag na assistance na naibibigay ng opisina through Howell Icban ay halos lahat ay natutulungan,” Mayor Garcia added.
Roman and Garcia are representatives of the first and second districts, respectively.
