First public dialysis center in Pangasinan opens

SAN CARLOS CITY, Pangasinan, Philippines   – It started with a concern of a Pangasinense, who attended to patients with renal problems in the United States, to help his own kabaleyan (provincemates) facing similar health problems cope with the high medical cost.

After his retirement as nurse in the Da Vita Medical Missions, Peter Cayaban returned to his hometown of Alcala and talked to Mayor Manuel Collado about his plan.

While the original plan was to have a public dialysis center right in Alcala town, Collado was kind enough to relay the noble idea to Dr. Nicolas Miguel, chief of the Bayambang District Hospital, for a bigger number of patients to be served.

But Miguel said the idea would best serve its purpose if it would be put up in the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital.

A meeting with Gov. Amado Espino Jr. later materialized, but little did the governor realize that the casual conversation would result in a great blessing for Pangasinenses with renal problems who need to undergo dialysis.

Espino asked provincial administrator Rafael Baraan to go to the US and talk to the people behind the Bridge of Life/Da Vita Medical Missions that would donate the dialysis machines.

Last Tuesday, the first public dialysis center with 15 dialysis machines was formally opened at the Pangasinan Provincial Hospital compound in Barangay Bolingit here.

The Bridge of Life donated 15 dialysis machines shipped from the US, while the city government, through Mayor Julier Resuello, contributed P15 million to finance the construction of the center that was named as Mayor Julian Resuello Dialysis Center in honor of the mayor’s late father.