The latest hemodialysis treatment facility in SM Seaside City Cebu, operated by Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) was formally opened yesterday.
The event was graced by Secretary Michael Dino, Presidential Assistant for Visayas; Governor Gwendolyn Garcia of Province of Cebu; Mayor Edgardo Labella of Cebu City, Dr. Gerardo Aquino, Chief of VSMMC, Cebu Chamber of Commerce & Industry President Felix Taguiam and representatives from SM Malls and Private Sector.
According to Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino, this is the “real” Private Public Partnership (PPP) because it is not aimed to gain profit but to purely service people with compassion. This project is a joint-initiative of public sector and SM Group.
Sec. Dino said that the expenses in the dialysis sessions would be covered by PhilHealth, and if Philhealth can no longer provide (given the 90-session limitation of Philhealth) the Malasakit Center could cover the excess of its costs.
Mayor Labella wrote to Secretary Francisco Duque on July 2 for the granting of the machines and it took only a month for its approval.
“Our experience is that many of our dialysis patients, who are not COVID patients, are scared to go to hospitals because their disease is only kidney disease. They are somewhat hesitant to go to the hospitals and afraid that they might get a COVID virus. So, this is a welcome development because non-COVID-19 dialysis patients, there’s nothing to worry because this is not a hospital and this practically isolated for the rest of the public,” Mayor Labella said.
This project aims to protect the dialysis patients against COVID-19 since these groups of people are considered individuals with co-morbidities and are vulnerable to the disease. (OPAV/Cebu City PIO)
