A party-list lawmaker has sought to include the 20,000 Filipinos suffering from chronic kidney diseases in the list of persons with disabilities to enable the government to give them special privileges they need.
Deputy Speaker and 1PACMAN Party-list Rep. Michael Romero, in House Bill 2120, expressed optimism that the House leadership will support his bill proposing that chronic dialysis patients be given the same privileges enjoyed by PWDs.
“Chronic dialysis patients or chronic kidney disease patients on dialysis are among those severely troubled by their disease which is why any assistance that will be received in the form of PhilHealth or PCSO aid is very much valued,” said Romero, president of the Partylist Coalition of Foundation Inc.
CKD patients are now acknowledged as PWDs because CKD has been categorized as a disease and not a disability.
Romero noted a sharp rise in the number of CKD patients who undergo regular dialysis in the past years.
