City opens free dialysis centers

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City government has inaugurated two dialysis centers in Barangays Guadalupe and Talamban that offer free access to life-saving treatment for patients with chronic kidney disease.

Mayor Nestor Archival said the expanded services underscore the city’s commitment to easing the financial and logistical burden faced by dialysis patients.

The Guadalupe Dialysis Center, located in Cebu City’s south district, is equipped with 15 dialysis machines. The facility was established through a partnership between the Cebu City Government, Barangay Guadalupe, DialMed, and the City Health Department.

The center is expected to serve residents who previously had to travel long distances or shoulder high treatment costs to access dialysis services.

Meanwhile, another dialysis facility was opened in Barangay Talamban, serving the city’s northern district. The Talamban center houses 10 dialysis machines and was also established in collaboration with DialMed, with support from Atty. Renil Oliva.

City Councilor Sisinio “Bebs” Andales, Barangay Captain Dario Arcilla, barangay officials, and members of the JL DialMed team attended the inauguration.

With the opening of the two facilities, free dialysis services are now more accessible across Cebu City’s major residential areas, ensuring wider coverage for patients in both the northern and southern districts.

The new centers form part of the city’s broader initiative to expand free dialysis services, a program formalized through agreements between the Cebu City Government and private partners in 2025. The initiative aims to address the growing number of kidney disease cases in Cebu, where the high cost of regular dialysis has long placed a heavy financial strain on families.

By bringing treatment closer to communities, the city government and its partners seek to ensure that quality healthcare is not a privilege but a right accessible to all Cebuanos.

“Kini usa ka dakong lakang aron mas mapaduol ug mas mapahapsay ang serbisyong panglawas, ilabi na sa mga pasyente nga nanginahanglan og regular nga dialysis. Padayon ta sa panagtinabangay aron masiguro nga kalidad nga healthcare maabot sa tanang Sugboanon,” Archival said. — /FPL (FREEMAN)