Patients expressed alarm on Tuesday, July 1, over the closure of the government’s hemodialysis center in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental.
A patient said the hemodialysis center at the Don Salvador Benedicto Memorial District Hospital in La Carlota City closed and no explanation was given on when it will reopen.
The patient said it is not easy for him to transfer to another dialysis center.
Another patient said more than 130 undergoing dialysis at the facility are affected.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said the hemodialysis center was abruptly left by Nephroprime Corporation, the service provider, saying they wanted to cut their financial losses.
They are saying that it is no longer lucrative to operate the La Carlota center because the provincial government has not paid them, Diaz said.
Diaz said payment depends on when PhilHealth releases the funds that is then turned over to the service provider.
“We cannot advance the amount due from PhilHealth,” he said.
The provincial government also cannot allow the resumption of the interrupted service until the facility is cleaned and made safe for patients, Diaz said.
Diaz said it facility was found to be very dirty.
“We have to make sure our patients are safe and will be healed first,” he said.
Patients have already been referred to other dialysis centers in the meantime, Diaz said.
Fifteen nurses who were working at the hemodialysis center were retained by the provincial government starting Tuesday, Diaz said.*