The provincial government of Catanduanes announced on Monday that the Eastern Bicol Medical Center (EBMC) in Virac town will open its own dialysis center next month to provide services for indigent patients.
In a social media post, the local government unit (LGU) said EBMC chief, Dr. Vietriz D. Abella, confirmed that the EBMC has obtained a license to operate from the Department of Health last Jan. 25.
“The new EMBC dialysis center will house 10 dialysis machines – bringing the island’s total number of public dialysis machines to 16, including the six dialysis machines at the Juan M. Alberto Memorial District Hospital (JMAMDH) in San Andres, Catanduanes operating since 2012,” it also said.
With the new facility, indigent patients who need to undergo dialysis may avail of the procedure at a much lower price compared to those offered in private hospitals, which usually ranges from PHHP3,000 to PHP6,000 per session.
Patients certified as indigents and financially incapacitated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and those listed under the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s National Health Insurance Program (NHIP), may avail of the service for free. (PNA)
