Manila: Dialysis patients on the waiting list of the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital (NOPH) will soon receive free treatment through a partnership with a newly opened private medical facility in this city.
According to Philippines News Agency, Provincial Health Office (PHO) chief Dr. Liland Estacion announced that MCenter, a privately owned outpatient medical and diagnostic facility, has offered to accommodate NOPH's waiting list dialysis patients at no cost. Estacion highlighted the significance of this development, noting that NOPH currently operates with only 10 dialysis units, while approximately 200 patients are awaiting treatment.
Dr. Estacion emphasized that the collaboration would help alleviate the backlog of patients requiring hemodialysis, thereby enabling them to receive treatment sooner. This initiative is expected to improve access to kidney care for many residents in the region. Although the finer details of the agreement between NOPH and MCenter are still being finalized, the arrangement promises significant benefits for the provincial healthcare system.
MCenter, which is part of Matiao Medical Services Inc., is poised to commence operations in the coming weeks following its floor inaugurations last July 26. Dante Uy Matiao, president of the Matiao Group of Companies, revealed that the facility is equipped with 17 hemodialysis machines ready for use. The project evolved from a basic dialysis and diagnostic center into a comprehensive outpatient specialty clinic after consultations with MCenter medical director Dr. Kerwin Gubantes.
Matiao expressed pride in the facility, noting its uniqueness in Dumaguete, as there is currently no comparable outpatient medical and diagnostic center in the area. Dr. Gubantes added that patients requiring further medical care will be referred to hospitals where many MCenter specialists also practice.
Dr. Estacion concluded that the facility will complement the province's healthcare system, describing the initiative as a public-private collaboration aimed at enhancing access to medical services.
