BONGAO, Tawi-Tawi — The Ministry of Health (MoH) has officially granted the Datu Halun Sakilan Memorial Hospital a License to Operate (LTO) the first-ever Hemodialysis Center in this capital town, marking a major milestone for healthcare in the province.

Governor Yshmael “Mang” I. Sali announced that the center is the first of its kind in the island provinces of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“This is a proud achievement of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) of Tawi-Tawi under the Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Provincial Government,” Sali said.

He noted that with the growing number of dialysis patients — many of whom previously had to travel to Zamboanga City for treatment — the new facility is expected to ease their burden significantly.

'We are deeply grateful to Chief Minister Abduraof Macacua, Minister Dr. Kadil Doc Jo Sinolinding, Doc Ehsan Paudac and his team, and most of all to Gov. Mang Sali for making the dreams of our poor patients a reality.'

The Hemodialysis Center is equipped with seven dialysis machines: three donated by Gov. Sali and four from the Ministry of Health. MoH Minister Dr. Kadil “Jojo” M. Sinolinding Jr. personally added three machines to strengthen the clinic’s capacity.

The hospital received permission to operate its Hemodialysis Clinic on 14 April, Sali added.

Dr. Sangkula Laja, provincial health officer II of IPHO Tawi-Tawi, led the effort with strong backing from Gov. Sali and newly appointed Chief Minister Abduraof Macacua.

Laja shared that preparations for the center began nearly a year ago. A ceremonial ribbon-cutting was held on 16 November 2024, followed by an accreditation evaluation by the MoH Regulation, Licensing, and Enforcement Division on 27 November 2024.

“We are deeply grateful to Chief Minister Abduraof Macacua, Minister Dr. Kadil Doc Jo Sinolinding, Doc Ehsan Paudac and his team, and most of all to Gov. Mang Sali for making the dreams of our poor patients a reality,” Laja said.

To ensure readiness, nurses and technicians underwent refresher training at Basilan Medical Center. The center is expected to be fully operational within the month.

The launch of the Hemodialysis Center underscores BARMM’s commitment to delivering accessible, quality healthcare to underserved communities across the region.