DANAO CITY, CEBU -- It was another historic occasion for this city - considered the lone opposition to a unified Cebu, as the first dialysis center in this northern part of the province was opened today, April 14.
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Deputy Speaker Duke Frasco led the blessing and inauguration of the Hemodialysis Center and the newly-constructed third floor expansion of Cebu Provincial Hospital in Danao City – a product of the Capitol’s public-private partnership (PPP) scheme in dialysis operation.
The third floor expands the province-run hospital to accommodate an additional 45 beds and two semi-private rooms.
The hemodialysis center, which is a private-public partnership, aims to cater to the renal patients residing in the northern towns and cities in the Province of Cebu who are undergoing dialysis treatment.
In her speech, Gov. Gwen narrated how her most desired dream to make a significant change to the people of Danao has now become a reality.
The governor noted that during the last elections, she and Rep. Frasco tallied political wins in all LGUs, except in Danao City.
And yet, she said, they have made it a point to bring all the more government services here because their brand of service does not differentiate political affiliations.
“Kung panerbisyo na gani, wa nay labot ang bulok sa politika,” the governor said during her speech.
“Kining among tatak Garcia-Frasco nga panerbisyo, walay gipili, walay pamulitika. Tabangan ang tanan sigon sa panginahanglan,” she said as the audience applauded.
Dr. Gerardo Aquino Jr., chief of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, said the dialysis center here complements their own facility, especially now that they have temporarily downgraded from having 35 dialysis units to only 11 while awaiting the completion of their much bigger kidney care building.
Capitol has tapped the expertise of Medtronix Medical Supplies and Equipment for the operation of the dialysis center here and in the Provincial Hospital in Carcar City.
Both centers have 15 dialysis units each, which are seen to make the dialysis treatments of Cebuanos coming from the northern and southern side of the Province more bearable.
Medtronix is also VSMMC’s partner for its dialysis center for the last 20 years now. Gov. Garcia said there are now at least 145 dialysis patients that have signed up for treatment here and in Carcar City. Capitol first opened a dialysis center, in partnership with DOH, at the Provincial Hospital in Balamban in March 2021.
The dialysis center here, however, is the Capitol’s first PPP venture in dialysis treatment.
The governor said she intends to add 15 more dialysis units to Balamban, and to also establish dialysis centers in the islands of Bantayan and Camotes.
The dialysis center in Carcar City is expected to be also inaugurated in the coming days.
Also present during the event were fifth district Board Members Mike Villamor and Red Duterte, as well as BM Stanley Caminero, chair of the PB committee on public health.
Five mayors from the fifth district, whose constituents would benefit from the facility, also showed out in support. They were Liloan Mayor Aljew Frasco; Compostela Mayor Felijur Quiño; Carmen Mayor Carlo Villamor; Catmon Mayor Avis Monleon; and Borbon Mayor Noel Dotillos. | Ioannes P. Arong