COTABATO CITY — With kidney patients having difficulty accessing safe and quality health care, some Bangsamoro lawmakers are pushing for the establishment of dialysis units in all government hospitals and the provision of free dialysis services to indigent patients.
“Unfortunately, most of the kidney patients have to travel to nearby towns and cities to be able to get treatment,” said MP Amilbahar Mawallil, noting that most rural health units are physically dilapidated, worn-out, and under-equipped.
MP Mawallil then filed BTA Bill No. 95 together with seven other MPs, which mandates the establishment of dialysis units in all government hospitals in the region.
Facilities should have the necessary equipment, supplies, and staff, including nephrologists, dialysis, and operating room nurses, and dialysis technicians in both peritoneal and hemodialysis, to meet the needs of patients.
The dialysis service area must meet the Department of Health’s and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s licensing and accreditation requirements.
The proposed measure also requires that dialysis treatment be provided free of charge to indigent patients who have no visible means of income, compensation, or financial assistance from family members to support their basic needs.
“It is imperative for the regional government to respond to the needs of these communities by ensuring seamless delivery of health, goods, and services,” MP Mawallil added.
Under the measure, all government hospitals and stand-alone dialysis centers in the region shall establish chronic kidney disease (CKD) prevention strategies and health promotion activities that include advocacy activities targeting relatives of dialysis patients who are at risk for developing CKD; the provision of instructional materials and regular educational activities on the common symptoms of kidney disease; and advisories on the appropriate protocols for the diagnostic evaluation of possible kidney disease.
