MINALIN, Pampanga — Residents of Minalin now have improved access to critical kidney care following the inauguration and blessing of the town’s first dialysis center, a facility aimed at easing the burden on patients who previously had to travel to neighboring areas for treatment.
The new Dialysis Center, located in Barangay Sta. Catalina, was formally opened with local and national officials in attendance, marking a milestone in the municipality’s health services expansion.
Among those who led the inauguration were Senator Lito Lapid; Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) Chief Operating Officer and former Pampanga Governor Mark Lapid; Vice Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda; 4th District Representative Anna York Bondoc; Minalin Mayor Philip Naguit; Board Member Maynard Lapid; and 4th District Board Member Kaye Naguit.
The project was funded through a mix of public support and private sector partnership. Senator Lapid allocated ₱10 million for the construction of the dialysis center building, while the Minalin local government entered into a public-private partnership for the acquisition of 12 dialysis machines and other essential medical equipment. The partnership includes St. Marina Margarita Health Care Inc. as the private sector partner.
Local officials said the facility is already serving patients. As of the opening, 15 patients are undergoing dialysis at the center, while profiling and transfer procedures are ongoing for an additional 46 patients expected to be accommodated by the LGU-run facility.
The opening of the dialysis center is expected to significantly reduce travel time, expenses, and physical strain for patients requiring regular treatment, while strengthening the municipality’s capacity to deliver accessible and sustained healthcare services.
Photo credit: Daniel Ombina / Pampanga PIO
