BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – Patients with kidney disease will soon need not travel to the city to avail of dialysis services from private clinics and hospitals.
The Iloilo Provincial Government is evaluating the proposal for a public-private partnership (PPP) with Ayala-affiliated firm for the establishment and operation of hemodialysis centers in provincial and 12 district hospitals.
The proposed P0.23-billion hemodialysis centers between Panay Medical Ventures, Inc. (PMVI), a subsidiary of Ayala Healthcare Holdings, and the provincial government is gaining traction, with increasing support and progress towards implementation, a report from the PPA Center website showed.
The joint venture (JV) agreement, which will be carried out via unsolicited proposal by the project proponent, has been referred to the provincial government for evaluation being the implementing agency.
The proposed hemodialysis centers for the provincial and district hospitals aim to provide lifesaving treatment to patients with chronic kidney disease for the benefit of the constituents of the province.
Under the JV arrangement, the Iloilo Province will allocate spaces within the target 12 district hospitals and a provincial hospital.
On the other hand, PMVI or Healthway QualiMed Hospital Iloilo will equip, manage, and operate an 8-chair dialysis center in each hospital site.
The program will be implemented in four phases, with each phase having an economic life of ten years.
Likewise, patients will enjoy the additional benefit of preferential access to more advanced diagnostic and treatment services from PMVI, as well as from the other hospitals and clinics of the Healthway Medical Network.
The project will also bridge the existing gaps in health facilities and services, hence, efficiently and effectively addressed through the systems approach that leverages the resources and networks of the private sector.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. recently welcomed the PPP Center’s inclusion of hemodialysis centers in 12 district hospitals in its pipeline.
“We are happy with this development. Iloilo district hospitals need dialysis centers — initially one in the south, one in the central area, and one in the north,” Defensor said.
The governor said the dialysis centers would help decongest patients from the province who otherwise travel to tertiary hospitals in Iloilo City for dialysis.
“This way, our residents from various towns will no longer need to travel to the city,” stressed Defensor.
PPP Center deputy executive director Jeffrey Manalo had said projects were added following unsolicited proposals received by the agency and subsequently endorsed to implementing agencies.
Under the PPP Code, the implementing agency shall consider significant issues and concerns in the project implementation.
These include the legal, technical, economic, financial, and commercial feasibility of the project, as well as value for money, climate resilience and sustainability; and social and environmental safeguards.
The development of such a project shall commence only after the conduct of stakeholder consultation, the law provides.
The implementing agency shall secure the approval of their respective city or town council and the local development councils.
The agency is also authorized to “identify, develop, assess, evaluate, approve, negotiate, award, and undertake” the public- partnership projects.
The approval by the National Economic Development Authority (Neda) is necessary for the proposed project worth more than P15 billion./PN
