Do this, Rillo tells government hospitals that want to upgrade their hemodialysis units
At A Glance
- Quezon City 4th district Rep. Marvin Rillo has advised public hospitals to avail of additional funding from the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) so they may upgrade their outpatient hemodialysis units.
Quezon City 4th district Rep. Marvin Rillo (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Quezon City 4th district Rep. Marvin Rillo has advised public hospitals to avail of additional funding from the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) so they may upgrade their outpatient hemodialysis units.
“We would urge all public hospitals to seek HFEP funding so that they can increase their hemodialysis stations and accommodate more chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients,” Rillo, a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, said in a statement on Sunday, June 9.
“The HFEP has an allocation of P28.5 billion in the 2024 General Appropriations Law, and Congress is providing fresh funding for the program every year,” Rillo said.
The HFEP bankrolls the construction, upgrading, or expansion of public healthcare facilities and the procurement of additional hospital or medical equipment.
Rillo made the call on the occasion of National Kidney Month this June.
He says he wants “to raise public awareness of the fatal consequences of renal diseases", of which there is a surge in patients. CKD is among the leading causes of sickness and death in the Philippines.
Filipinos living with CKD have to undergo hemodialysis treatment up to three times every week, with each session lasting for four hours.
“Public hospitals must guarantee Filipinos living with CKD ready and uninterrupted access to hemodialysis treatment to assure them a superior quality of life,” Rillo said.
The neophyte congressman has championed patient rights, including their right of receive adequate healthcare.
Last month, through Rillo’s efforts, the East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City and Passion Healthcare Philippines Inc. agreed to work together to provide sustained hemodialysis treatment to disadvantaged CKD patients.
Rillo also previously launched free hemodialysis treatment in Barangay UP Campus, Quezon City, through a licensed facility.
Hemodialysis procedure remains the No. 1 treatment package being claimed by Filipinos and their healthcare providers.
In 2023 alone, a total of 3,627,350 hemodialysis procedure claims were filed with the state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), which spent an aggregate of P17.4 billion to pay the claims.