THE House Committee on Health, presided by its vice chairman ANAKALUSUGAN Party-list Rep. Ray Reyes, on Wednesday, further intensified the institution’s efforts at improving the Philippine healthcare system, approving measures for a new specialty hospital and the modernization of existing ones.
The Committee approved House Bills (HBs) 123 and 6324, authored by Reps. Juliet Marie de Leon Ferrer and Samuel Verzosa Jr. respectively, which seek to establish the Liver Center of the Philippines.
Reyes said the Liver Center of the Philippines is borne of the pressing need to confront the rising prevalence of liver diseases, which he described as a complex health concern, that requires specialized attention, research and comprehensive care.
Ferrer, in sponsoring the passage of HB 123, said the measure is close to her heart as her mother died of autoimmune liver disease.
“We do have a Heart Center. We do have a Lung Center. We have a Kidney Center. So maybe it is about time that we have a liver center,” Ferrer said, adding that there are a lot of Filipinos suffering from liver disease but there are limited facilities and doctors who specialize in liver transplant, while there are many doctors for kidney transplants.
Versoza filed HB 6324 after losing his father to liver disease last year.
Speaking for the Department of Health (DOH), Health Development Facilities Bureau Development Management Officer IV Phoebe Cabbab relayed that the DOH supports the establishment of the Liver Center of the Philippines.
She however said that upgrading existing public hospitals to accommodate specialty centers would be more cost effective and time efficient compared to constructing single specialty hospitals.
National Kidney Transplant Institute (NKTI) Executive Director Dr. Rose Marie Rosete-Liquete concurred with the DOH, “I agree with the creation of the liver center, to provide a state-of-the-art diagnosis, management, treatment of these diseases, training and researches pertaining to liver disease treatment including cancer detection and screening but not the transplant in that center itself.”
Dr. Jennelyn Agcaoili-Conde of the Hepathology Society of the Philippines said her agency is looking forward for the said measure to be enacted into law. Conde said that liver cancer is the fourth most leading causes of death in the country.
“A lot of deaths are happening almost 2,000 new cases of liver cancer, and 9,953 deaths in 2020, so can you imagine how many Filipinos are suffering with liver cancer, even for liver cirrhosis,” Agcaoili-Conde said.
According to the World Health Organization, the Philippines has the highest number of cases of chronic hepatitis B, compared to Southeast Asian countries she cited.
Agcaoili-Conde added that there is now the rise of metabolic fatty liver disease that can also lead to liver cancer and cirrhosis.
“So it is really important to have this liver center,” she said.
The panel also approved HB 4793 and and HB 5858, the measures seeking to modernize the Philippine Orthopedic Center and the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) respectively. Rep. Gus Tambunting authored HB 4793 while Rep. Michael Romero, PhD, authored HB 5858.
“The modernization of the Philippine Heart Center and Philippine Orthopedic Center signifies our commitment to ensuring that every Filipino has access to state-of-the-art medical care. This involves the harnessing of cutting-edge technology, adopting innovative treatment modalities, and creating an environment that fosters research, education and collaboration,” Reyes said.
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