FIGHTING CKD. DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. and representatives from AstraZeneca Philippines, various health advocacy groups and 12 provincial government units sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City on Tuesday (Dec. 19, 2023). The MOU provides for the expansion of the Addressing Complications Today through Network of Warriors (ACT NOW) for Chronic Kidney Disease program in 12 provinces -- Quirino, Aurora, Cavite, Quezon, Sorsogon, Samar, Capiz, Iloilo, Cebu, Zamboanga del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Sarangani. (PNA photo by Joey Razon)
MANILA – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca and various health advocacy groups on Tuesday inked a partnership with 12 provincial governments as part of efforts to combat chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., AstraZeneca Philippines country president Lotis Ramin, Diabetes Philippines immediate past president Dr. Francis Pasaporte and representatives from various health groups and provincial government units signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the expansion of the Addressing Complications Today through Network of Warriors (ACT NOW) for CKD program at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City.
"The program aims to help fight cardio-renal complications of diabetes and hypertension, create further awareness on CKD through risk factor identification, and early screening," Abalos said in his speech.
Abalos said LGUs can make a big difference in fighting CKD, citing that about 2.3 million Filipinos are suffering from the disease.
“This is what LGUs can do and I promise you we can add this to the seal of good of local governance as one of the indicators, in so doing we take care of our people, we take care of our children and we take care of our health,” Abalos said.
Under the program, the ACT NOW for CKD program will be expanded to the provinces of Quirino, Aurora, Cavite, Quezon, Sorsogon, Samar, Capiz, Iloilo, Cebu, Zamboanga del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Sarangani, where over one million Filipinos will get free access to free Urine Albumin Creatinine Ratio (UACR) test as part of CKD screening and prevention.
The program was previously rolled out in Baguio, Pasig, Mandaluyong, San Juan, San Fernando (La Union), and Pampanga.
“I was informed that one machine will be serving 20,000 patients, and in the 12 provinces this machine and all will be serving close to one million patients. Let's thank AstraZeneca, it goes without saying for early screening of the CKD and that is why important to note that for each patient....spending PHP3,000 to PHP4,000 per test in ordinary hospitals so there will be a lot of savings. but then again I'd like to point out that I hope our governors are here so we can talk about this because we have a lot of other challenging health issues,” he stressed.
Pasaporte, meanwhile, said this initiative aims to further the awareness on CKD through risk factor identification and early screening, education of healthcare professionals on recommended disease treatment, and empowering patients to become part of the solution.
Meanwhile, Ramin said AstraZeneca is highly committed to forging impactful partnerships to address the needs of patients across the full continuum of chronic kidney disease care.
ACT NOW for CKD is a partnership between the DILG, Diabetes Philippines, AstraZeneca Philippines, Philippine Association of Diabetes Educators, Association of Diabetes Nurse Educators of the Philippines, Dialysis PH Support Group, Inc., Kidney Transplant Association of the Philippines, Inc., and Philippine Diabetes Support and Awareness Group Inc. (PNA)
