Iloilo expands access to dialysis treatment

By Mariela Angella Oladive

Dialysis services will soon become more accessible to patients in Iloilo province after the provincial government partnered with Healthway QualiMed Hospital Iloilo to establish dialysis centers in government-run hospitals.

The Iloilo Province Dialysis Project was formally launched on March 7 at the Iloilo Provincial Hospital in Pototan with a PHP 200 million investment from Healthway Medical Network.

Under the project, 13 dialysis centers will be built and operated in the province’s 12 district hospitals and the Iloilo Provincial Hospital, according to Healthway Medical Network President and CEO Jet Peeters.

The rollout will be implemented in two phases.

Seven dialysis centers will be established in the first phase.

Six more will be established in the second phase.

Peeters said the project aims to bring renal care closer to communities and improve the quality of life of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease.

“Today, we are united in one purpose — and that is advancing the health and well-being and overcoming the challenges faced by the people of Iloilo with chronic kidney deficiencies,” he said.

The dialysis centers are expected to benefit thousands of patients who currently travel to Iloilo City for life-saving treatment.

Provincial health data estimate that about 50,000 patients in Iloilo may require renal care, highlighting the growing burden of kidney-related illnesses in the province.

Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., who led the project launch, said the initiative demonstrates how public-private partnerships can strengthen healthcare services in the province.

“We need our partners in the private sector because that is the only way we can address our limitations in budget and processes,” Defensor said.

Defensor added that the partnership could open opportunities for future collaborations in specialized tertiary healthcare services, particularly in cancer and cardiovascular care.

The dialysis project forms part of a public-private partnership agreement signed on Nov. 25, 2025, between the Iloilo provincial government and Ayala Healthcare Holdings Inc., led by its president and CEO, Paolo Borromeo.

Vice Gov. Nathalie Ann Debuque and other provincial and health officials also attended the project launch in Pototan.