Sunday, October 12, 2008 Pangasinan's dialysis center to open by January
SAN CARLOS CITY -- The first government-owned dialysis center in Pangasinan will start serving the public in January next year.
Governor Amado Espino Jr. made the announcement on Friday after the groundbreaking ceremonies he led with San Carlos Mayor Julier Resuello. The establishment's construction will start immediately.
The center will be equipped with 14 dialysis machines. Twelve of these are donated by the US-based Davita Incorporated Mission headed by Peter Cayaban. The two-storey building will be donated by the City Government. Through the approval of the City Council, the city has earmarked P15 million for the project.
Espino said the dialysis center will highlight the Provincial Government's action plan to make costly specialized medical treatment available to averaged income residents, especially the indigent families.
He vowed to upgrade hospital facilities to be at par if not better with private hospitals and clinics.
The center will be named after Resuello's father, the late San Carlos Mayor Julian Resuello, who was shot dead two years ago.
"We want to give our extra attention and utmost health care services to the poor and the powerless because they cannot afford expensive medical treatment in private hospitals and clinics," the governor stated.
"It's a dream that will be realized," he remarked.
Espino added that each of the six district and seven community hospitals in the province will be installed fully air-conditioned maternal and newborn care units which will have modern gadgets such as fetal doppler, pulse oxymeter, and ultrasound and electrocardiograph (ECG) machines.
He further said the Provincial Government will also set up a child protection center for abused children and a center for battered women.
During the recent Pangasinan Health Summit, a representative from the European Commission announced that the European Union approved a P150-million grant for Pangasinan.
This is to boost its five-year health care modernization program in coordination with the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid) and the Department of Health (DOH).
Accordingly, about P17.7 million have been released to finance multi-sectoral trainings and seminars on integrated health care upkeep based on the strategic FOURmula approach involving service delivery, financing, regulation, and good governance. (LCMY/Sunnex)
