Regional dialysis center in MP now in operation

By Wabilyn Leanne Lomong-oy 

BAUKO, Mountain Province – The Dialysis center of the Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital (LHMRH), the lone regional hospital in the Cordillera Administrative Region is now open to cater to patients with chronic kidney disease as the hospital received its license to operate including its accreditation from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC).

The dream for a hemodialysis unit for the LHMRH started in 2010 when the late Mountain Province Congressman Maximo B. Dalog initiated the funding of the hospital’s capital outlay for construction of a hemodialysis building.

Dalog facilitated inclusion of dialysis machines not only for LHMRH but also for the Bontoc General Hospital.

When Dr. Glenn Mathew Baggao was chief of the hospital,  groundbreaking for the construction of the dialysis building was done on May 18, 2016.

After 10 months, 10 dialysis units were delivered to the hospital on March 8.

On April 12, the blessing and inauguration of the Dialysis Building took place.

When current hospital chief, Dr. Eduardo Calpito took over, he assisted in processing of documentary requirements and accreditation for the dialysis center.

Effective Sept. 22, the license to operate was given to the hospital following effectivity of the PHIC accreditation on Oct. 6.

Around this time, the hospital is ready to accommodate patients for hemodialysis treatment.

The LHMRH dialysis center is composed of a team headed by Dr. Cheryl Menia.

Menia said since there is an increasing number of dialysis patients in the Cordillera especially in Mountain Province and given the expensive cost of treatment of the disease, it is hoped that opening of the dialysis center will ease the burden of the patients and family members. 

Menia also announced the requirements for patients who wish to transfer at LHMRH for hemodialysis treatment: Endorsement letter; latest laboratory-hepatitis profile; latest treatment sheet and updated PHIC MDR.

On the part of the Office of the Congressman, lawyer Cyphrine Maxcel Dalog, daughter of the late congressman, said the office will assist patients with kidney disease through the Medical Assistance Program (MAP).

She said she will facilitate and follow up appropriation of additional fund for LHMRH in the amount of P1,500,000 particularly for the medical assistance program to replenish depleting funds allotted for 2017.

Ms Dalog urged dialysis patients who are not yet members of the Kataguan Dialysis Patients Organization of Mountain Province to apply for membership so that they can avail of the benefits being given by the recently launched Maximo B. Dalog Foundation.