Negros Occ to establish four dialysis centers
The provincial government of Negros Occidental is planning to establish four additional dialysis centers to boost its health program, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said.
Lacson revealed the plans during the ceremonial launch of the family planning training center at the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital (TLJPH) on Friday held at the Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City.
The governor said that right now, a 15-bed dialysis center is operational in TLJPH, while construction for another at the Cadiz District Hospital has been completed and is awaiting equipment installation.
“We are also putting up two additional dialysis centers at the Lorenzo Zayco District Hospital in Kabankalan City and Valladolid District Hospital which are now ready for budgeting and procurement,” he said.
He said that soon patients will no longer have to travel far to access treatment.
Scholarships
The provincial government will also develop and capacitate both new and existing primary care providers throughout the province, Lacson said.
“The presence of doctors in barangays, rural health units, nurses, midwives, and barangay health workers must be increased to handle non-complicated cases and provide immediate relief at the local level. They will also play a significant role in disease prevention and early detection,” he pointed out.
The provincial government will also continue to provide scholarships for medical, nursing, and midwifery students and require their return service at its hospitals or primary care providers, he added.
Lacson added that the provincial government is also in the process of upgrading TLJPH into a Level 3 hospital and the Cadiz District Hospital, Valladolid District Hospital and Lorenzo Zayco District Hospital into Level 2 hospitals, Lacson said.
“These were made strategically based on their location and the population they will serve within their catchment area. This ensures the accessibility and availability of adequate services, facilities, doctors and medical staff to our constituents,” he said.
“We will continue to provide and source funds to offer financial protection to all our constituents through initiatives such as No Balance Billing, Medical Assistance to Indigent Patients (MAIP), and Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Program (NOCHP). Patients in our hospitals will incur minimal or no bills to pay,” Lacson said.
“The goal is a future in which health is a right, not a privilege, and where everyone, regardless of circumstance, has access to the treatment they need,” Lacson added.
“Our vision of providing a provincewide health system, particularly for the less privileged, relies on the continuous improvement of health care delivery, policies, resources and infrastructure,” he said.