Benguet province is currently setting up dialysis units in strategic district hospitals to assist patients in the province, according to Gov. Melchor Diclas.
“We want our district hospitals to have dialysis centers so the patients don’t need to flock to La Trinidad and Baguio City,” Diclas said.
Priority hospitals to be funded this year are Atok District Hospital, which would service patients from the towns of Atok, Buguias, and Bakun and the Dennis Molintas District Hospital in Bokod which would service patients from Bokod, Kabayan and some parts of Itogon.
Diclas said 10 dialysis machines would be added this year to the Benguet General Hospital which currently operates 10 dialysis machines.
The provision of dialysis machines is in coordination with the Department of Health.
The local government of Itogon also plans to set up a dialysis center at the Itogon District Hospital through the support of private partners, a move being supported by the provincial government.
Last year, the province gave support to 500 dialysis patients in Benguet through PhilHealth. The number of dialysis patients might even be bigger, as there are those that avail the services of private dialysis centers in La Trinidad and Baguio City.
Diclas said the expansion and improvement of district hospitals are also ongoing with the Kapangan District Hospital having a P25 million budget and the Northern Benguet District Hospital in Abatan, Buguias with P40M funding.
The expansion of Atok District Hospital with a fund of P25M is also nearing completion early this year.
The improvement of the hospitals includes creation of new buildings, expansion, and repair of its infrastructure to accommodate more patients from the respective towns and nearby municipalities as well. – Ofelia C. Empian
