In 1987,
the Section of Pediatric Nephrology organized the Fellowship Training Program. After
13 years, in 2000, the section was reconstructed as a new separate department from
the Adult nephrology.
The
Faculty of the Department of Pediatric Nephrology chaired by Dr. Myrna B. Rosel
has 5 consultants: Dr. Solita I. Tadoy (Training officer), Dr. Zenaida L. Antonio
(ER and OPD consultant), Ofelia de Leon and Ma. Angeles G. Marbella. The Department
continuously endeavors to maintain its utmost standards of excellence through its
three-pronged approach of service, training and research. It relentlessly pursues
a training program that will give rise to the finest kidney specialists for children.
Dr. Solita Isidro-Tadoy, the training officer and research coordinator spearheads
our objective of academic excellence. The faculty aims to enhance the inquisitive
minds of our graduates to produce relevant researches as well.
With
the mission to attain medical excellence and share the Department’s expertise
nationwide, the successful graduates of the pediatric Nephrology Training Program
– NKTI, are strategically situated in Baguio City, Cebu, Iloilo, South Cotobato,
Davao, Butuan and the rest in Metro Manila and nearby towns as well as in the United
States. With them is the ultimate vision of the Department to provide new perspectives
in the field of Pediatric Nephrology.
The
Department maintains an eight to twelve bed capacity in the service ward. Its target
population in health care delivery is continuously growing to about 5-10% annually.
For 2003, a total of 4,096 consultations were seen, of which 3,035 (75%) were from
the Out Patient department (OPD), 367 (9%) Emergency room (ER) cases and 694 admissions
(17%).
The
Department of Pediatric Nephrology is not only medically inclined. A desire to transcend
over the physical needs of our patients brought about the birth of Batong Bulilit
School in 1994 and was realized in 1996. This informal school won the 1999 Civil
Service Commission (CSC) “Pag-asa†Award, a competition for innovative ideas
of the government agencies, as part of the CSC’s centennial celebration.
Manulife
Philippines, a wholly owned subsidiary of Manulife Financial Canada and Migi’s
Corner Foundation donated a playground, inaugurated and blessed last March 4, 2003.
Migi’s Garden was named after the four year old son of Mrs. Cathy Babao-Guballa
who died of Tetralogy of Fallot. The playground is a 50 square meter lot near our
OPD surrounded by flowering bushes with swings; see saw, slides and other paraphernalia.
It was designed to provide comfort and solace to 40-50 children every Tuesday and
Thursday afternoon.
Manulife
Philippines, donated a substantial amount to the Batong Bulilit Child Life Program.
This was handed by Ms. Cecile Jacinto, manager of Manulife Philippines to our Executive
Director Dr. Enrique T. Ona, with Dr. Aileen Riego-Javier, Deputy Director for Medical
Services, Cathy Babao-Guballa, chairman of the Migi’s Corner Foundation and Dr.
Myrna B. Rosel, Chair of the Department of Pediatric Nephrology.
In celebration
of the Kidney Month, the Department sponsors the yearly Batong Bulilit Art Contest
every June were participants are grouped into three categories according to age
interpreting the theme of the art contest.
The
last momentous event of the year is its Christmas Party. This event is attended
by our chronically ill patients and their relatives participating in games, songs
and dances. Every year, this occasion is graced by artists from the two largest
television networks in our country, GMA 7 and ABS-CBN rendering them songs and dances.
Each child goes home with a ‘loot’ bag and prizes prepared by the Fellows.
The future indeed is bright for the Department whose overwhelming
passion is to help our children with kidney ailments. With the plan of the Institution
to expand our bed capacity and ultimately have a pediatric ward, all our efforts
would have come to fruition.