NKTI Accomplishment Report 2012

C o n t e n t s

p. 2Summary of Activities

p. 3 Press Releases

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p. 19 News Clippings

p. 13Photo Gallery

p. 36Situationer Reports

1. Conducted Three (3) Media Forums: * Zamboanga City on June 8, 2012 with Dr, Michael U. Abutazil, head nephrologist of Western Mindanao Medical Center as guest and was attended by some 15 tri-media members.

* Pagadian City on June 19, 2012 with guest Dr. Emerson Mondarte in observance of the National Kidney Month, with Zamboanga del Sur-Pagadian City Press Club Inc. members.

* Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay on December 21, 2012 at Sibugay Grand Plaza Hotel with Dr. Michael Abutazil with Zamboanga Sibugay Press Club members in attendance.

2. One (1) radio program was conducted in Dipolog City over dxAA on September 28, 2012 with Dr. Michael Abutazil as resource speaker. He discussed the nature of renal disease as well as its prevention, control and cure.

The radio program, reached 21 towns of Zamboanga del Norte, five towns of Zamboanga del Sur, 4 towns of Misamis Occidental and five towns of Negros Oriental with more or less 100,000 radio listerners.

3. Prepared six (6) news articles which were sent to local media outlets in the region and which were also posted at the PIA website (www.pia.gov.ph), PIA-9’s blogsite (www.piazampen.blogspot.com) and One Mindanao PIA Electronic News Magazine;

4. Thirty (30) pictures posted on PIA-IX social networking sites; - Facebook, Twitter and Blogspot.

5. Ten (10) situationer reports thru SMS were sent to the regional office for text blast to general public and were also posted in PIA facebook and twitter accounts.

6. Recorded voice clip of Dr. Abutazil, Dir. Edaga, ICM Malcampo, and the media interaction was aired over Paz y Mejora Radio Program for two straight Saturdays (June 9 and 16), and DXNO-FM Radio Komunidad de Isabela City, in Basilan, last June 25 from 1-3 pm;

7. Part of the media forum proceedings was aired in the local TV news programs, ABS-CBN and GBPI-TV 11, Zamboanga City.

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Summary of Activities

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Press Releases

Dr. Michael Abutazil, chief nephrologist of the Western Mindanao Medical Center (WMMC) during the launching of the PIA Media Forum here, said Department of Health Secretary and now concurrent Philhealth Chairman Dr. Enrique T. Ona announced that they will provide funds to subsidize costs of kidney transplantation in a meeting last April 13. “We’re very glad that effective June, we will be receiving P628,000 subsidy coming from Philhealth for each transplanted kidney,” Dr. Abutazil said. Abutazil explained that the subsidy will cover at least 70 percent of the total cost of the operation, making it extremely affordable for patients to undergo renal transplant. “In our area, the Western Mindanao Medical Center, the cost of the package is P850,000. If there is a subsidy of P628,000, then roughly, the patient will just be shelling out about P160,000 including the medications to be used for the transplantation”, he said.

Abutazil also stressed that this is part of the national government’s effort to make renal transplantation accessible to the Filipinos. “The Department of Health, together with other partner agencies, is really putting this into a reality, making treatment for our renal patients more accessible,” he furthered. Abutazil led the group of Nephrologists in successfully conducting the first-ever kidney transplantation in Western Mindanao, October of last year. Another patient was operated just this March, with two more scheduled operations in line. “We are happy to inform you that so far, our patients are on their way to full recovery. They are still under observation but everything is going well. Our next operation will be on the 25th of this month, then, another one is set next month (July), although there’s no specific date yet,” Abutazil said. (ALT/MVC/PIA9-ZBST)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, June 12 (PIA) –- Starting this month, the government’s premier health insurance institution PhilHealth will be subsidizing kidney transplantation.

Philhealth to subsidize kidney transplantation starting this monthBy Michael Vincent D. Cajulao

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Press Releases

ISABELA CITY, Basilan, June 20 (PIA) -- The Department of Health (DOH) Representative in Isabela City and the Provincial Health Office in Basilan reiterate the importance of public awareness on taking care of kidneys as the health department observes National Kidney Month this June.

DOH-Basilan, Provincial Health Office reiterate care of kidneysBy Rene V. Carbayas

In a radio interview, DOH-Rep in Isabela City Dr. Paysal Kasim underscored the importance of personal hygiene as key to prevent urinary tract infection and kidney

diseases. He urged parents to teach children proper hygiene. “Women are mostly affected by urinary tract infection because of their unique reproductive organ as

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compared to men,” Dr. Kasim noted, saying that the reproductive organs of women are more exposed to bacterial infection which could also lead to urinary tract infection. Dr. Kasim is guest at Philippine Information Agency’s radio program Noticias-Informaccion con Musica over DXNO-FM Radyo Komunidad de Isabela City. Kasim stressed the importance of the kidneys with cleansing the blood as their most important function to keep the balance and nutrients of the body. Kidneys are important parts of the urinary system. They are found at each side of the spine, below the rib cage of the human body. Each kidney is as big as a fist, weighs ¼ pound and looks like a kidney bean. Kasim strongly pointed out that once the kidney fails, it is irreversible. Aside from the rudiments of kidney transplants and regular dialysis, there are no remedies for a kidney failure. Thus, he said that every individual should give utmost attention and concern to their kidneys. In a separate radio interview, Renal Disease Control Program (REDCOP) Provincial Coordinator Cathy Veloso-Mutamad and Health Education-Promotions Officer (HEPO) Leilani Eugenio also urged the public to prevent kidney diseases by having regular urinalysis. Mutamad said end-stage renal disease is preventable if diagnosed early. She encouraged patients to visit nearest health centers in their

area on how to avail of the services related to kidney problems. Eugenio, meanwhile, noted that as the 10th leading cause of death in the Philippines, kidney diseases is preventable if every individual has sufficient knowledge of the role of kidney and its functions in our bodies. Dr. Kasim, moreover, encourages the public to have more fluid-intake of clean water to help kidneys function well. He strongly advises patients to follow religiously the medical advice and medication intakes as directed by their doctors. He noted that kidneys perform vital life-maintaining functions as monitors and regulators of body fluid. Kidneys excrete fluids when the body has an excess of them and retain the substances necessary for the body’s continuing function. They produce and release a variety of chemicals to keep the body healthy and filter the entire blood supply every two minutes, excreting waste materials through the urine. Kidneys also play a major role in the control of blood pressure. (RVC/PIA9-ZBST)

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Prevention is better than cure (even for kidneys), says nephrologist By Claro A. Lanipa

The nephrologist said our kidneys have multiple functions. Primarily, kidneys serve as the filtering machine in a human body. Anything we eat, there is always a corresponding waste product, even medications and herbal medicines. “The kidneys will filter all these wastes,” he explained. Aside from filtering of waste products, it also removes excess water from the human body. As a living organism, we also produce water in small amount in our metabolism, and it is also part of the kidney function to excrete the excess water, Dr. Mondarte added. Kidneys produces erythropoietin, a hormone that signals the bone marrow to produce or stimulate red and white blood cells. Bone marrow is the factory of red and white blood cells, Mondarte said. “Therefore, if the kidney is in

trouble or not functioning well, it will not produce sufficient erythropoietin hormones needed by the body, which will result to low hemoglobin,” he further explained. Kidney malfunction is one of the top five leading causes of morbidity and mortality, Dr. Mondarte said. When asked what are the causes of kidney failure or malfunction, he first said, “if a person is a diabetic.” He advised those who are diabetic to have their blood sugar controlled, because if not, in five to 10 years’ time it will lead to a kidney problem. Second is hypertensive neproschlorosis or high blood pressure. He said, since kidneys have tiny veins it will cause inflammation, “mamaga ang kidney (it will swell) and it will cause scars in the kidney.” To stay away from kidney problems and to keep them healthy, refrain from eating foods with high protein content such as red meat and other salty foods, Dr. Mondarte emphasized. “Love your kidneys, eat well, stay physically fit, exercise, check your blood pressure and blood sugar regularly because prevention is better than cure,” Mondarte concluded. (ALT/CAL/PIA9)

PAGADIAN CITY, June 22 (PIA) -- “Prevention is better than cure,” said nephrologist Dr. Emerson Mondarte, during the weekly PIA Media Forum held last June 19 at Roxan Hotel in celebration of the National Kidney Month with the theme “Ikaw at Ako Panalo sa Malusog na Bato.”

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Kidney: A Gift to New Lease of LifeBy Noemi B. Edaga

Rufo Paitan, who is fondly called Pong by family and friends, works in a piggery farm as manager. At age 31, he was at the prime of his health. Robust and athletic. Everything was well with his work; save that schistosomiasis is phenomenon in his job site. To shield him from getting the disease, he buys himself potable water when he goes downtown. For two years, he survived from schistosomiasis but landed in a hospital diagnosed with infection and stone in his left kidney.

Heal Thyself for 9 Years With medication and therapy administered on Pong, sand-like matters were passed out trough his urine. After some time, the infection and stone bothered him no more. He felt fine and forgot about it. In year 2000, arthritis inflicted him. He consulted his arthritic friends for medicine and opted to self- medication. Unsurprisingly, it alleviated his pain and healed him. Believing in the effectiveness of his friend’s prescription, Pong continued to self medicate during painful arthritic bouts; until he was 3 days down with fever.

Creatinine High in 2009 Blood chemistry and a visit to a nephrologist indicated that his creatinine was high at 875. Pong bought the prescription, felt good and defied what he called “the shocking truth of his going into dialysis sessions.” Barely seven months after the doctor’s advice for dialysis, the defiant Pong was again admitted in a hospital, this time with creatinine recorded very high at of 1200.

Family’s Prodding Concerned for his well-being, family members had successfully prodded him to submit for a dialysis, where he met a fellow kidney patient who referred him to Dr. Michael Abutazil, a nephrologist and team leader of the Western Mindanao Medical Center (WMMC) Renal Transplant Unit (RTU). Dialysis has become a very costly tri-weekly thing for Pong. He said, his dialysis expenses range from P10,000 to P12,000.00 a week, covering maintenance and transportation expenses to and fro Calatunan, Sindangan, his residence in Zamboanga del Norte and to Zamboanga City. “The procedure, travel, maintenance cost and the fear of harboring all sorts of infection as my immune system was low every after dialysis, made me entertain the thought of submitting myself to kidney transplantation,” Pong articulated in the dialect.

PAGADIAN CITY June 30 (PIA) -- Financial constrain, self medication, lack of medical awareness compounded an anthill problem into a stone: a kidney stone.

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The WMMC and the Renal Transplant Unit (RTU) Little did Pong know that he would be part of WMMC-RTUs history as the kidney transplantation patient who underwent the first ever renal transplantation done at WMMC of Zamboanga City with a sounding success. Dr. Abutazil, WMMC-RTU Head, highlighted the national government’s effort to make renal transplantation accessible every citizen, saying, “the Department of Health, NKTI and partner agencies have bonded together to make renal patient treatment more accessible in the Zamboanga Peninsula and the neighboring regions.” Zamboanga City Mayor Celso L. Lobregat and Dr. Abutazil were one in saying that the success of the first ever renal transplantation in WMMC is a milestone in medical tourism and will help promote Zamboanga City as venue for renal transplantation in the future.

The WMMC Renal Transplant Team’s Good Job On October 1, 2011, at age 45, Pong prayerfully tendered himself to God and to the expertise of the WMMC’s Renal Transplant Unit composed of Doctors Abutazil, John Ahalajal (transplant surgeon), Jayson Sangkula (transplant surgeon), Paterno Cabrera III (surgeon for the donor), Henry Ratag (surgeon for the patient), Tatad Kalbit (urologist) and Albert Tan and Neil Gallenegro (anaesthesiologists), who all did a very good job.

Road to Recovery Wisdom

After the tough ordeal, Pong advices friends, family and love ones to practice a healthy lifestyle and abide by the doctor’s prescription. To date, Pong still sees Dr. Abutazil for the monthly check-up. All the time since he was diagnosed with a kidney disease until now on post-operation; he and his family is still on a steep financial climb to sustain his fight against infection and organ rejection. He is ever grateful to his friends and family; wife, Lolot; siblings Dodong Tirso (Dodong), Quirino (Jr.) and Ropisa (Omping) who financially support him through; more so to his cousin, Virgilio Solito, who gifted him with his kidney for a lease of new life. “Get rid of vices as it would harm our body, abide by the doctor’s prescription because repentance always comes last,” Pong added in closing.

RTU and PhilHealth Work at Best Zamboanga’s RTU continues to serve its purpose. After Pong, two more had successful kidney transplantation in March and June. Another is scheduled on July 2012. On the other hand, Dr. Abutazil said during the recent launch of the PIA Media Forum in Zamboanga City that the Health Department and concurrent Philhealth Chair Dr. Enrique T. Ona announced they will subsidize 70% of the kidney transplantation costs, making it extremely affordable for patients to undergo renal transplant. “We’re very glad that effective June, we will be receiving P628,000 subsidy coming from Philhealth for each transplanted kidney thus the patient only needs to shell out P160,000 as the package at WMCC costs P850,000,” Dr. Abutazil said. (ALT/NBE/PIA9)

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This was the statement of Dr. Michael U. Abutazil, renal transplantation head of the Western Mindanao Medical Center (WMMC) in Zamboanga City and regional Renal Disease Control Program (Redcop) coordinator in a radio interview conducted here over dxAA. Abutazil said the three major causes of renal disease are diabetes, hypertension, and infection in the kidney. “Ten years of being hypertensive may develop kidney disease,” said Abutazil. He also advised the public to maintain a healthy lifestyle before any ailment, adding, “Smoking, alcoholic intake, fatty and salty foods are harmful to the body.” In a related development, Abutazil said that WMMC is now capable of performing kidney transplantation for renal patients. Its first kidney transplantation was done in October last year.

WMMC’s kidney transplantation package would cost a patient more or less P850,000. But the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), is now giving a subsidy of P625,000 to each member who would undergo kidney transplantation. “With the PhilHealth subsidy, the patient may only shell out P160,000 for his kidney transplantation at WMMC,” Abutazil said. The hospital has already transplanted kidneys to three patients and they are all going well “with no evidence of rejection.” Renal disease is now considered a medical problem nationwide. (JPA/FPG-PIA9, Zamboanga del Norte)

DIPOLOG CITY, Oct 3 (PIA) -- “Eighty percent of patients suffering from kidney disease are diabetics.”

Diabetes leading cause of kidney disease, says Redcop coordinatorBy Franklin P. Gumapon

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Abutazil, who is one of the coordinators of the Renal Disease Control Program (Redcop) of the Department of Health, together with the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) explained the importance of the kidney and its functions which is to maintain balance of body fluid, produce a hormone called erythropoietin, which stimulates the bone marrow to generate red blood cells and prevent anemia, among others. According to Abutazil, 2003 census show that diabetes is the number one cause of renal failure followed by hypertension. Today, kidney diseases rank as the number 10 leading cause of mortality in the Philippines, causing death to 7,000 Filipinos every year. He cautioned the use of herbal medicines and taking pain relievers as well as antibiotics that are not prescribed by doctors. “Kidneys will fail because it has not undergone processing to remove the toxins,” he

said. “Have a healthy eating lifestyle and keep your weight in check, know your ideal body weight,” he advised. Drinking 8-10 glasses a day for adults and 6-8 glasses for children would also help, according to Abutazil. To prevent End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), one should have a yearly urinalysis. Maintenance of normal blood sugar levels and blood pressure is very vital to prevent kidney problems. Dr. Abutazil said treatment is expensive for ESRD which would require renal replacement therapy such as dialysis and transplantation. He is looking forward to a healthy Philippines with the help of the Redcop/NKTI, PIA, and the media which play a vital role in disseminating timely and accurate information to the public. (JPA/ALT-PIA9, Zambo Sur)

IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay, Jan 2 (PIA) - “If you are diabetic, you have a 43.8 percent chance of developing renal failure,” Dr. Michael U. Abutazil, head of the Renal Transplant Unit of the Western Mindanao Medical Center (WMMC), Zamboanga City said during a media forum held recently at Sibugay Grand Plaza Hotel here.

Diabetics prone to develop renal disease, says nephrologistBy Alma L. Tingcang

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Photo Gallery

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News Clippings

Published

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ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER OF PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY

MINDANAO REGION

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PIA Website www.pia.gov.ph

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Local News Paper

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Situationer ReportsPosted at: - Facebook (facebook.com/pia9.mindanao) - Twitter (@PIAIX) Text Blast/SMS to General Public: - Smart Info Board - Globe Text Connect

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Situationer ReportsWestern Mindanao Medical Center is Department of Health and National Kidney Institute accredited to do kidney transplantation.

Dr. Abutazil, nephrologist said 50% of diabetic persons can develop renal failure and more than 80% of those diagnosed go into dialysis.

Department of Health (DOH) and Philippine Society of Nephrologist celebrate kidney month this June with this year’s theme: “ako at Ikaw, Malusog Ang Bato”.

Dr. Michael Abutazil, nephrologist, Western Mindanao Medical Center en-courages individual to have regular uri-nalysis to prevent renal disease.

“Love your kidneys, eat well, stay physically fit, exercise, check your blood pressure and blood sugar regu-larly because prevention is better than cure,” Dr. Mondarte urge the public.

Diabetics have a 43.8% chance of developing renal disease,” says Dr. Michael U. Abutazil of WMMC, Zam-boanga City.

“Prevention is better than cure,” said nephrologist Dr. Emerson Mondarte, during the weekly PIA Media Forum in celebration of the National Kidney Month with the theme “Ikaw at Ako Panalo sa Malusog na Bato.”

REDCOP Coordinator Dr. Michael Abutazil said 80 percent of patients suf-fering from kidney disease are diabetics.

Nephrologist Michael Abutazil has rec-ommended “lifestyle modification” to avoid kidney problem.

Individuals with hypertension in 10 years are likely to suffer kidney disease according to Nephrologist Michael Abutazil.

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In cooperation with:ICM CLARO A. LANIPA, Zamboanga del Sur IC

ICM DAVE G. MALCAMPO, ZamBaSulTa IC

ICM FRANKLIN P. GUMAPON, Zamboanga del Norte IC

VICTORIANO B. VILLACRUZ JR, Asst. Prod. Specialist

Submitted by:NOEMI BERNARDINO-EDAGA

Regional Director

PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCYRegional Office - IX

P. Urro St., Pagadian City

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