Mayor Luigi Quisumbing (left) and Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Rep. Mark Sambar (right) lead the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a Public Dialysis Center in Mandaue City. CDN PHOTO/Norman Mendoza
A dialysis center will soon be built inside the compound of Mandaue City Hospital.
This after a groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday last week that was attended by Mandaue city officials headed by Mayor Luigi Quisumbing and Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Party List Rep. Mark Sambar together with representatives from the Department of Health (DOH).
“Considering that the demand for affordable and accessible health care is on the rise, there is a need to upgrade the hospital’s facilities for effective delivery of medical services. We thank the Department of Health for its commitment to Mandaue City Hospital and its continuing support to provide better health services,” said Sambar.
He said they coordinated with the office of Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing and the DOH in facilitating the release of almost P11 million for the construction of the dialysis center and P19.5 million for the purchase of dialysis machines.
“Thus health project is one of my commitments to the City of Mandaue and is part of PBA’s advocacy to contribute in providing quality health care services for fellow Filipinos,” Sambar said.
Mayor Quisumbing, in an interview, said there was an increasing number of patients from Mandaue with kidney problems.
He said it is burdensome for patients and their families to go to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for a dialysis about three times a week.
He said that the consultations, dialysis and other tests will be free of charge for the residents of Mandaue.
He said they will look into the guidelines of the Department of Health, particularly on how to avail the services and have it discussed with the city council.
“We might be setting aside two dialysis machines for poor patients from other municipalities,” said Quisumbing.
Dr. Edna Seno, Mandaue City Health Officer said, the construction will start within the second half of this year after it is bidded out and awarded to a contractor.
The dialysis center is expected to be completed by next year with eight dialysis machines and other equipment installed.
Mandaue City Hospital Director Dr. Marilou Espinosa said the supplier of the dialysis machines will train hospital personnel on how to operate the machine. / WITH CEBU NORMAL UNIVERSITY INTERN LALAINE JURADO