Dialysis centers to open on Siargao Island with free services for locals

Two dialysis centers are set to open in Siargao Island, both offering free dialysis services to local Surigaonons.

“Kidney problems account for the highest number of medical cases in Surigao. Providing free and better health care is our priority, especially for Surigaonons who cannot afford quality health services. With these dialysis centers, we will do just that,” Surigao del Norte 1st District Rep. Francisco Jose “Bingo” Matugas shared.

The dialysis centers will be located in Purok 2, Dapa and Purok 2, General Luna.

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Both dialysis centers would have 15 dialysis machines from Japan that can serve up to 45 patients per day. The dialysis center in General Luna would have two machines allocated for tourist treatment.

Currently, there are no dialysis centers in Siargao Island. Former 1st District Rep. Atty. Lalo Matugas said, “For Siargaonons, it is difficult and expensive for patients to travel from Siargao to Surigao City or Butuan regularly to get their dialysis treatments.”

“To give you an example, we have one patient na taga lungsod San Isidro, every week mu kadto siyag Surigao, PHP 5,000 ang iyang bayaran, and that is excluding the transportation. Nya ang iyang asawa is an ordinary government employee. Unsaon man intawn na kapin beinte mil ang iyang bayaran kada semana?” Matugas expressed.

(To give you an example, we have one patient from the municipality of San Isidro, every week he goes to Surigao and has to pay P5,000 [per dialysis session], and that excludes the transportation [costs]. His wife is an ordinary government employee. How can they manage to pay around P20,000 per week?)

Matugas also shared that having dialysis centers on the island encourages tourism from individuals who would like to visit the island and still keep up with their regular dialysis treatment schedule.

Cong. Bingo Matugas said that he and former Cong. Lalo Matugas planned to open more dialysis centers across the province, both in District 1 and 2, especially in far-flung areas or areas with high numbers of kidney problem cases.

This project, supported by Cong. Bingo Matugas and former Cong. Atty. Lalo Matugas, was built in collaboration with the local government and private partners Kaiser International Healthgroup, Inc. and Hydromed Technical Services.