Health
Bacolod reg’l hospital now offers kidney transplant
FILE: In Bacolod, at least 1,000 individuals are considered potential candidates for kidney transplant. (Photo: Department of Health (Philippines)/Facebook)
BACOLOD CITY— The Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH), the only Department of Health (DOH) hospital in Negros Island, now offers kidney transplant after its first succesful surgery.
CLMMRH officials led by Dr. Julius Drilon, medical center chief, made the announcement Friday afternoon after the hospital’s first successful transplant operation involving a 42-year-old female donor and a 39-year-old male recipient from Bacolod City.
Drilon said they want to show the community that they are capable and competent in performing serious medical operations.
“It is part of the hospital’s measures to address the general concerns of the community we serve,” he added.
Drilon said the first kidney transplant was “subsidized,” with the hospital shouldering some of the patient’s expenses, including medical and professional fees.
In Bacolod, at least 1,000 individuals are considered potential candidates for kidney transplant.
For transplant cases, hospitals in Metro Manila will charge between PHP1.2 million and PHP1.5 million per patient with suitable donor, the doctor said.
Drilon said costs will be lesser at the CLMMRH being a government-run hospital. To further reduce costs, they are seeking accreditation from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) for the provision of Z Package benefits, which address health conditions needing prolonged hospitalization and expensive treatments that will be a burden to the family.
The CLMMRH hopes to obtain the accreditation this year, he added. “Through a good donor recruitment program, we hope to line up more patients who can avail of our kidney transplant services.”
Dr. Rose Marie Liquete, executive director of National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI), said during the press briefing that PhilHealth Z package provides PHP600,000 in subsidy.
Patrick Ireland
August 27, 2017 at 4:59 AM
A very interesting article. It is very difficult to find donors in Canada, where the cost of a kidney transplant is free and covered by the medical plan. I wonder if the access to donors is better in the Philippines? I find the cost associated with the procedure here intriguing. Thank you for writing about this issue.