Vice Mayor Isko Moreno called Monday on the city's indigents in need of dialysis treatment to avail themselves of the free medical services that the city government is offering. In a chance interview, Moreno said patients who could not afford the expensive dialysis procedure and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) treatment may coordinate with his office so that they may get the necessary remedy for their illness. “The health of Manilans has always been the priority of the city government. It is not true that we are not giving free medical services to our indigent constituents. In fact, those (poor Manila residents) who are in need of help for the costly dialysis treatment and magnetic resonance imaging are free to come to my office,” he said. Moreno said his project is aimed at augmenting the similar free medical services already being offered by Mayor Alfredo S. Lim via the five city hospitals namely Ospital ng Tondo, Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center, Jose Abad Santos Mother and Child Hospital, Ospital ng Sampaloc, and Ospital ng Maynila. Moreno said he is extending financial assistance for those in need of dialysis while those requiring MRI are given referral slips which they will have to present to a clinic with whom the office of Moreno has a tie-up or arrangement with. A dialysis treatment usually costs a minimum of P1,500 to P2,000 per session while the cost of MRI is higher, ranging from P8,000 to P20,000. Dialysis is required for those suffering from kidney problems and blood poisoning while MRI is needed for cases of aneurism, stroke complications, tumors and skeletal problems, among others.
