PIA Region 8 Director Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu said that this special Harampang for the Renal Health Care and Prevention is in line with the celebration of the National Kidney Month this June,with the end goal of reducing mortality and morbidity due to kidney diseases & End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) in the Philippines.

Director Tiu disclosed that the resource person for the June 5 Harampang is Dr. Joyce Rosario Matoza, one of five nephrologists, in Eastern Visayas.

Among the issues to be taken are the symptoms that every person ought to know if one is in the first stage of kidney infection, what is renal disease, is renal disease one of the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Philippines, and how to prevent renal disease, among others.

The conduct of media forum which will be done regularly every quarter starting this month of June is stipulated in the Memorandum of Agreement between REDCOP and PIA, Director Tiu said. REDCOP has been PIA’s partner since 2000.

Renal Disease Control Program (REDCOP) started as the Preventive Nephrology Project (PNP) of the Department of Health, in June 1994, with the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) as the main implementing agency.

Towards the latter part of 1999, planning for the redirection of the PNP was done. In January 2000, the Preventive Nephrology Project was renamed Renal Disease Control Program, through a Memorandum No. 67-D s. 2000 from the Department of Health (DOH).

REDCOP implements different projects/activities on kidney disease prevention and control of end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients (health promotion, primary, secondary, tertiary), including prevention of death through transplantation and organ donation.

The Renal Disease Control Program (REDCOP) is the office in-charge of implementing the NKTI's public health projects on the prevention and control of renal and other related diseases. It plans, implements and monitors projects for research, advocacy, training, service and quality assurance. REDCOP's activities are done mostly on a national scale through its network of Regional Coordinators throughout the country.

The REDCOP also administers and manages the Philippine Renal Disease Registry (PRDR), which include the following: the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Registry composed of the Hemodialysis, Peritoneal Dialysis & Transplant Registries, and the Chronic Kidney Disease Registry composed of Biopsy.

The same Office has been tasked to operate the Philippine Organ Donation Program (PODP) of the Department of Health (DOH). PODP sets up policies, guidelines and ethical principles whereby the act of organ donation and conduct of transplantation from living non-related organ donors (LNRDs) shall be managed and regulated. This Program supports a rational, equitable, ethical, and accessible renal health care program in the country.

The current REDCOP program manager is Dr. Antonio Paraiso. (PIA 8)

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