palliative care unit at the Bulacan Medical Center (BMC) in this city.
With the help of Palcare Hospice Foundation Inc., the palliative care
unit, which is now located at the 3rd floor of BMC, will serve the
out-patient cancer patients who are beyond cure but in need of
palliative care for better quality of life.
Palcare Hospice Foundation Philippines president lawyer Asuncion
Kalalo commended the efforts of the provincial government for the
opening of the palliative care unit.
The opening of the hospice care unit in the province is the first in
the country. It is being supported by the local government unit.
Hopefully, the initiatives and efforts of the Governor Alvarado and
other officials of Bulacan will be followed by others, Kalalo said.
The palliative care unit will provide services like home visits which
offer companionship, spiritual and family counseling, bedside care,
management of pain and other distressing symptoms and medical
assistance such as lending of medical equipment, consultations, blood
donation for cancer patients and provision of medicines.
Among the patients that may be referred to the palliative care center
are those with advanced cancer with metastasis to the bones, lungs,
bladder, among others; needing relief from distressing symptom and
complication of cancer; patients that need help to live as actively as
possible; and those whose families need support system during the
patients' illness.
Palcare Hospice Foundation Inc. executive director Josie Nubla said
the requirements that are needed to be submitted to avail the services
are referral letter from barangay captain and barangay certificate of
indigency; referral from Palcare partner organizations; treatment
protocol; pathology reports and other lab works such as MRI,
ultra-sound, CT scan, among others.
She also assured that indigent cancer patients will be well taken care
of with a complete medical staff that will attend to them.
"There will be one hospice nurse, four registered volunteer nurses,
and one hospice administrator who will look after the out-patient
cancer patients. Twice a week, an out-patient doctor will check the
patients," Nubla said.
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