Davao: The Department of Health - Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DOH-DPCB) said Thursday that as of March 25, a total of 6,433 individuals in Davao Region are undergoing dialysis, with cases increasing by 10 to 15 percent annually.
According to Philippines News Agency, DOH-DPCB data for Davao Region showed that a total of 6,298 patients are on hemodialysis (HD) while 135 are on peritoneal dialysis (PD). Among HD patients, 3,537 are male and 2,761 are female. For PD, 76 are male and 59 are female.
Both HD and PD filter waste from the blood but differ in method and setting. HD uses a machine with an artificial kidney, typically performed in centers three to four times a week. PD uses the body's abdominal lining and is done daily at home.
Dr. Ma. Theresa Bad-ang, nephrologist and head of the Southern Philippines Medical Center-Human Advocate and Retrieval Effort, attributed the rise partly to the expanded dialysis package of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth). From PHP4,000 per session covering 90 sessions annually, PhilHealth now provides PHP6,350 per session for up to 154 sessions per year.
"Consent rates increase because dialysis is now free," Bad-ang said in an interview.
She emphasized, however, that kidney transplant remains the best option. "Dialysis costs about PHP950,000 per year under PhilHealth. A transplant, through the PhilHealth Z package, costs only PHP600,000. It is cheaper, but challenges remain in donor availability and public awareness," she explained.
Despite government support, Bad-ang stressed the importance of prevention. "Our response should focus on preventing diabetes, hypertension, and excessive salt intake. Screening must be prioritized," she said. Diabetes continues to be the leading cause of chronic kidney disease among Filipinos, followed by hypertension, genetic chronic nephritis, kidney stones, and urinary tract infections.
