BAGUIO CITY – The fate of the petition and the signature campaign for the provision of free dialysis treatment to all kidney patients in the country is now in the hands of national government officials.
Members of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center Dialysis Patients and Partners Association submitted the documents last week to the offices of President Rodrigo Duterte, Vice President Leni Robredo, the senators and concerned national government offices.
Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol extended assistance to the association members in the transmission of the documents to the President, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chair Jose Jorge Corpuz and general manager Alexander Balutan, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, PAG-IBIG president Ildegarde Dineres and Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial which saved the association members considerable travel time and expense.
The Benguet Electric Cooperative Inc. headed by president Gerardo Verzosa provided the transport services for the group.
Launched last January by the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC) headed by president Jane Cadalig, the Philippine Information Agency Cordillera (PIA-CAR) under regional director Helen Tibaldo and the association headed by Ramon Dacawi, the campaign aims to convince the President and national leaders and agencies to adopt a unified free dialysis program where the treatment will be made free for all patients considering its nature as a life-saving emergency.
Dacawi, in a letter to the President and the agencies, said the adoption of a national free-dialysis policy “similar to that of other countries like the United States of America would surely bring relief to many families at a loss where to get the next sum for their kin’s next dialysis session.”
These offices “can make effective government support to dialysis patients by pooling its resources with those of other agencies into a common fund from where dialysis payments may be drawn, without the patient having to request for personal support to be able to live.”
The same suggestion was made by the association to Senator Sonny Angara and Baguio Rep. Marquez Go who each proposed a bill requiring government hospitals to provide free dialysis treatment to poor patients. ** Aileen P. Refuerzo
