The Samar Provincial Hospital inaugurated a new dialysis center on Monday, offering a full range of free, hospital-based services for patients with kidney disease, officials announced.

The facility provides comprehensive dialysis care, including hemodialysis sessions, physician consultations, laboratory testing, and essential medications such as erythropoietin injections, iron sucrose administration, intravenous antibiotics, and dialyzers.

Designed to operate year-round, the center schedules dialysis sessions three times a week to ensure continuous care for patients requiring long-term treatment. It is currently equipped to serve up to 30 patients daily across two shifts, with 15 dialysis machines. Plans are in place to expand capacity as demand grows.

“We are optimistic that the new dialysis machines will help save lives and support more families in need,” Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan said in an interview.

All services are offered free of charge through the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and the government’s Medical Assistance for Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients program, helping ease the financial burden on patients and their families.

Patients can access services through walk-in consultations or scheduled appointments, followed by assessment by nephrology staff. Hospital officials advise patients to bring necessary medical documents, including a hemodialysis prescription, laboratory results, a referral letter, a medical abstract, recent dialysis records, and a list of medications.

Required diagnostic tests include a hepatitis profile, complete blood count and blood typing, and renal panel, as well as X-ray and electrocardiogram results to ensure proper evaluation and treatment planning. (PNA)