By Liza Soriano
MANILA — Senator Jinggoy Estrada has filed a bill seeking to establish dialysis center in every regional and provincial hospitals nationwide to address the rising number of kidney disease cases in the country.
“Sophisticated medical equipment and advanced facilities are concentrated in highly urbanized cities. Consequently, patients from rural areas often need to travel long distances, which incurs high costs, including travel expenses. For patients with kidney disorders who require regular dialysis, these financial burdens can be especially challenging,” Estrada said in his Senate Bill No. 800 or the Dialysis Center Act.
“Malaking kaluwagan sa bulsa, oras at iba pang alalahanin ng pasyente at kanilang pamilya kung may dialysis ward o centers sa lahat ng pampublikong ospital sa mga probinsya at gawing libre ito sa mga mahihirap,” the senator said.
According to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), current estimates indicate that approximately 2.3 million Filipinos have Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).
In 2016, more than 36,000 patients underwent dialysis treatment, indicating a 15 percent increase in the number of patients in a year.
These figures highlight the severity of the problem faced by the country’s healthcare system and the need for concerted efforts to combat the rise of CKD, the lawmaker said.
(el Amigo/MNM)
