Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
Queson City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

6667

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Kidney problems has consistently ranked among the top 10 causes of morbidity’ in
the Philippines and took the 7" spot in leading causes of death in 20147. With an
alarmingly increasing rate of 10 to 15 percent a year in the number of kidney disease
cases estimated by the Department of Health’, it is not surprising that the number of
Filipinos undergoing dialysis has gone up to 28,000.

For Filipinos living below the poverty line, the cost of dialysis at Php 2,500 per
session is too much to bear. Given the current situation of kidney disease in the
country, a State provision for this particular health care issue is imperative. The
increase in the cases entails an increase in support by the State, especially for
indigent patients.

This bill proposes to address this by establishing dialysis clinics in all national,
regional, and provincial hospitals in the country to serve the needs of the public. The
National Kidney and Transplant Institute serves an average of 34,000 dialysis
sessions every year‘ and takes in cases for patients from outside the National
Capital Region. Branching out the units that can provide dialysis treatments to the
regions and provinces and provide them for free, as the bill proposes, would help in
battling this Chronic Kidney diseases in the country.

The approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

7

Luis D “1 \Y” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

* http:/Atoday.mims. com/philippines-strugeles-with-renal-
? http://www manilatimes.net/kidney-disease-phs-7th-leadit eof 7716!
Ibid

* https:// www rappler. com/nation/97568-90-days-dialysis-philhealth-coverage


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
‘Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by HONORABLE LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT
REQUIRING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIALYSIS CLINICS IN ALL NATIONAL,
REGIONAL AND PROVINCIAL HOSPITALS AND PROVIDING FOR FREE
DIALYSIS TREATMENTS TO INDIGENT PATIENTS AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - The Act shall be known as the “Dialysis Center Act’.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is declared the policy of the State to
improve the delivery of health care services to the people and to ensure hospital
facilities are available, affordable and accessible to the people.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms
shall mean:

a. Secretary — shall refer to the Secretary of the Department of Health;

b. National Government Hospital - shall refer to a hospital operated and
maintained either partially or wholly by the national government or by any
department, division, board or other agency thereof;


c. Regional Government Hospital - shall refer to a hospital operated and
maintained either partially or wholly by the national government or by any
department, division, board or other agency thereof;

d. Provincial Government Hospital - shall refer to a hospital operated and
maintained either partially or wholly by the provincial government or other
political subdivision, or by any department division, board or other agency
thereof, and

e. Indigent Patient — shall refer to a patient whose combined annual family
incomes does not exceed Thirty Thousand (Php 30,000.00) annually.

SECTION 4. Establishment, Operation and Maintenance of a Dialysis Ward or
Unit. - Within two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act, all national, regional, and
provincial government hospitals are hereby required to establish, operate and
maintain a dialysis ward or unit in their hospital. The dialysis ward or unit shall be
equipped with complete dialysis machine, equipment and supplies.

SECTION 5. Free Dialysis Treatment to Indigent Patients. — Dialysis treatment in
all national, regional and provincial government hospitals shall be provided free of
charge to indigent patients as defined in Section 3 (e) thereof.

SECTION 6. Penalty. — Any hospital chief, administrator or officer-in-charge who
fails to comply with this Act shall be punished with a fine of Fifty Thousand Pesos
(Php 50,000.00) but not more than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php
100,000.00).

SECTION 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary shall

promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this
Act.

SECTION 8. Appropriation. - Such amount as may be necessary to implement the
provisions of this Act is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National
Treasury. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continuous implementation of
this Act shall be included in the government hospital's annual appropriations.


SECTION 9. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other
provisions hereof.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders and rules
and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby

repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,