Amid chronic kidney disease (CKD) epidemic sweeping the country, barangays in Quezon City have agreed to launch a public-private partnership project to assure patients ready access to free, state-of-the-art dialysis treatment.
Through the efforts of Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo and Councilor Imee Rillo, barangays U.P. Campus and Doña Imelda have forged a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Passion Healthcare Philippines Inc. to implement the project dubbed Dialysis Centers Para Sa Bayan.
“We are absolutely determined to improve the quality of life of CKD patients, and we want them to enjoy longer lives with their loved ones,” Rillo said.
“Our intention is to guarantee patients, especially from indigent and low-income families, absolutely free, zero cash out access to routine dialysis treatment,” Rillo said.
“We find it unacceptable that many poor Filipinos living with CKD are dying early simply because to their inability to pay for costly dialysis treatment,” Rillo said.
The MOA signed on Nov 17, 2022, provides for the construction, installation, operation, and maintenance of modern and duly licensed dialysis centers where CKD patients can receive dialysis treatment at zero cost.
U.P. Campus barangay chairperson Zenaida Lectura, Doña Imelda barangay chairperson Fernand Ubaldo, and Passion president Eric Olay signed the MOA. Rillo and Director Gloria Balboa of the Department of Health’s Metro Manila Center for Health Development endorsed the agreement as witnesses.
