Pamintuan mulls creation of cancer center for indigents

ANGELES CITY - Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan is now in talks with private sector supporters in the plan to put up a coronary center and chemotherapy facility here for indigents, following the success of the city's Renal Care Unit (RCU) that now serves the needs of patients with kidney problems.

Pamintuan told Sun.Star Pampanga that the success of RCU has inspired more people in the private sector to help the city address other health needs of indigents.

RCU started offering dialysis treatment for indigent patients suffering end stage renal disease (ESRD) in 2011.

Initially, the RCU started 15 dialysis units and plans to acquire more in the coming years. At an average, the facility services around nine patients a day, according to Pamintuan.

He said the RCU of the city was able to serve a total of 170 ESRD patients since July 2011 to July 2012. A total of 5,248 hemodialysis treatments were also given since its establishment.

Pamintuan said the planned coronary and chemotherapy center would cater to the needs of indigents with heart and cancer problems.

"We are now discussing plans with doctors here and Kapampangan doctors the United States on the feasibility of these projects," Pamintuan said. (Ian Ocampo Flora)