First State-of-the-Art Dialysis Center Inaugurated in the PH

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has opened its first state-of-the-art dialysis center. The inauguration was held last Tuesday at PRC’s old national headquarters in Port Area, Manila.

“We welcome the addition of another renal service in the heart of Manila that can provide patient-centered care to the metropolis and nearby provinces,” said Health Secretary Dr. Francisco Duque III.

President Rodrigo Duterte said in a press statement that the inauguration is the “first of many improvements” that will help improve the quality of life of the Filipino people.

World-Class Facility

The PRC Dialysis Center is fully air-conditioned and is equipped with 10 brand new Nipro hemodialysis machines. Depending whether the patients are on a twice or thrice a week hemodialysis program.

The hemodialysis machines can accommodate 60 to 90 patients.

The center also boasts two automated reprocessing machines. It has dialysis water treatment system with an endoxin retentive filter from EG Healthcare, which ensures high-quality dialysis water.

Both the 10 brand new hemodialysis machines and two automated dialyzer reprocessing machine were donated by Dr. Takao Suzuki, chairperson of Tokushukai General Incorporated Association.

The Endotoxin Retentive Filter System, on the other hand, was donated by President of EG Healthcare Jason Nien.

With the newly-inaugurated PRC Dialysis Center, high-quality hemodialysis treatments are now accessible to the less fortunate especially those who were diagnosed with chronic kidney failure or CKD.

“We are the first Red Cross in the whole world that has a dialysis center. We are anticipating that there is a dialysis tsunami coming in,” said PRC Chairman Senator Richard Gordon.

Other PRC Programs

Aside from the state-of-the-art dialysis center, the Philippine Red Cross also established the Dialysis Samaritan Program. Companies or individuals can now sponsor dialysis treatments of less fortunate patients through this program.

Additionally, educational workshops will also be conducted to raise awareness when it comes to the primary prevention of CKD. Programs such as Organ Donation Program will also get a boost from PRC through awareness campaigns and an organized Organ Donor Registry in coordination with the Philippine Network for Organ Sharing (Philnos).

There are only 562 dialysis centers in the country as of 2015. 139 of them are located in the National Capital Region. The number of dialysis patients was recorded at 32,077. Only 5,139 of them are in Metro Manila.

via Manila Bulletin / Erma Edera