Free treatment at dialysis center only for Manila residents – official

MANILA, Philippines — Only Manila residents, who have “fully complied with requirements,” can avail of free dialysis at the recently-opened Flora V. Valisno de Siojo Dialysis Center, Manila Public Information Office chief Julius Leonen clarified Friday.

Leonen said the dialysis center – touted as the country’s largest free dialysis facility – will only provide free dialysis treatments to patients who are residents of Manila and have proven to be a Manileño. He made the clarification after a social media user pointed out that the treatment in the center is not free for everyone.

“If nagbayad po siya, ibig sabihin (If he or she paid, that means) he or she is a non-Manilan or have not fully complied with the requirements to prove that he or she is, in fact, a Manilan,” the information chief told INQUIRER.net.

Ninety dialysis sessions will be covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. while the local government of the capital city would shoulder the remaining treatments, according to Leonen.

He also said that as of now, the Flora V. Valisno de Siojo Dialysis Center has 71 ready-to-use dialysis machines, which may reach 100 by January 2020.

READ: Manila opens country’s largest free dialysis facility

Dialysis sessions may cost from P2,200 to P5,000 in private hospitals, according to Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna, a doctor by profession. /kga