COTABATO CITY – In response to the large number of patients in the BARMM who have renal ailments and require dialysis treatment, Bangsamoro lawmakers have sought the passage of a measure that seeks to establish a dialysis center in Maguindanao.
The proposed measure aims to provide the Cotabato Sanitarium and General Hospital in Maguindanao with the facilities and equipment required to run a dialysis facility and accommodate the needs of patients in BARMM.
In the Cotabato Sanitarium alone, 162 patients will potentially need dialysis treatment in 2022.
“…there are no sufficient medical facilities within BARMM, including the sanitarium, to accommodate their medications,” said Member of Parliament Romeo Sema, principal author of BTA Bill No. 145.
“Patients have to seek hospitals and facilities in bigger cities for their treatment, which incurs more expenses and inconvenience for the patients,” MP Sema added.
The average cost of dialysis for a patient is roughly P4,500 per session, or around P9,000 to P13,000 per week. This is well beyond the minimum wage in the region, as stated by MP Sema.
Renal diseases have been identified by the Department of Health as one of the major causes of disease-related deaths in the Philippines.
In the proposed bill, the Sanitarium will provide a building and space for the dialysis center in addition to hiring or designating physicians, nurses, and administrative staff for operations.
The construction of the building and the compensation of additional personnel will be charged against the available budget and funds of the hospital.
The Ministry of Health, through its Ayudang Medikal mula sa Bangsamoro Government (AMBaG) Program, will also allocate assistance for purposes of augmenting the initial expenses of the dialysis clinic during its first year of operation.
Income from dialysis treatment services shall be used largely to fund the dialysis center’s operations; however, no service fee shall be imposed on indigent patients.
The Bangsamoro Organic Law provides that the Bangsamoro Government shall adopt a policy on health that provides for comprehensive and integrated health service delivery for its constituents. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)