Marcos assures NKTI of continued support

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos assured the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) of continued support, citing the need to ensure access to dialysis treatment to reduce the number of deaths and disabilities related to kidney diseases.

Speaking during the NKTI’s 40th anniversary in Quezon City yesterday, Marcos thanked the institute’s doctors, nurses and personnel for providing quality renal care and alleviating the suffering of Filipinos with kidney disease.

He also lauded them for sharing best practices, research developments and training with various health care professionals all over the country.

“For all of these reasons, we owe you a debt that cannot be repaid, and we will see to it that your institution gets all the help that is necessary for its advancement and its progress,” the President said.

“We are committed to supporting the NKTI in all its noble endeavors,” he added.

Marcos also cited the NKTI personnel for saving lives during the pandemic, noting that the institute served as a “central focus” for the government’s COVID-19 response.

He urged them to continue being “catalysts for universal health care” through innovative solutions that decrease the Philippines’ mortality rate in kidney diseases.

“With many deaths attributed to kidney disease in our country, it is imperative that we ensure that dialysis treatment will be readily available, accessible and cost-effective for our fellow Filipinos,” Marcos said.

“The ultimate goal is to lower the deaths and disabilities associated with kidney disease and kidney failure, especially for those who are not able to access dialysis treatment due to the high cost.”

Marcos said his late father and namesake, former president Ferdinand Marcos, envisioned adequate and responsive health care services when he created the National Kidney Foundation of the Philippines, which began operations in 1983.

The foundation, now known as NKTI, was one of the major projects of the first Marcos administration.

The elder Marcos suffered from systemic lupus erythematosus, described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks its own tissues, causing widespread inflammation and tissue damage in the affected organs.

The disease can affect various organs, including the kidneys.

“He (former president Marcos) and his administration saw the importance of building an institution that is dedicated to renal health care and management, as well as the necessity of having a lead center for renal care and organ transplantation,” the President said.

“Now, we are reaping the fruits of their foresight and investments in our fight to uplift the conditions of Filipinos with kidney-related diseases,” he said.

Marcos said the NKTI, which started as a two-ward 50-bed facility, has now grown into a “world-class specialized institution that is at the forefront of our battle against kidney disease.”

The institute is now a five-building complex with 383 beds and provides round-the-clock emergency services and state-of-the-art medical care, he added.

According to Marcos, almost 400,000 patients have been given quality renal care, including transplants, dialysis and treatment sessions, since NKTI’s inception.

Among those who were present during the event was Claver Ramos, the first president of the National Kidney Foundation of the Philippines and former nephrologist of the elder Marcos.