In celebration of the National Kidney month, the Davao City Health Office (CHO) urged Dabawenyos to avail themselves of free medical consultations at their local district health centers, emphasizing that early detection is key to saving lives and reduce long-term health costs.
Dr. Vince Joseph D. Orpeza, Non-Communicable Disease Medical Coordinator of CHO said that the city’s district health centers offer free consultations with laboratories capable of conducting essential tests such as creatinine, urinalysis, complete blood count, cholesterol, and uric acid.
“Sa inyohang respective districts, naa man tay mga health centers. Actually, ang atoang main health centers kay naa na silay mga laboratory and they are capable of having these basic laboratories. Most especially ang atoang creatinine, ma check ang inyong urinalysis, complete blood count, atoang cholesterol, uric acid ug daghan pa. Basically, gusto gyud namo na siya nga as much as possible kompleto namo siya makita para ma treat namo ang patient (In your respective districts, we do have health centers. Actually, our main health centers already have laboratories and they are capable of having these basic laboratories. Most especially our creatinine, we can check your urinalysis, complete blood count, our cholesterol, uric acid, and many more. Basically, we really want to see it as complete as possible so that we can treat the patient),” he told Madayaw Davao over Davao City Disaster Radio on June 19, 2026.
Dr. Orpeza explained that patients with kidney disease are becoming younger, a trend linked to poor eating habits, processed food consumption and lifestyle risks.
He also said that conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and high uric acid can damage the kidneys if left untreated, but can be managed effectively when detected early.
He advised the public to eat in moderation and always prioritize proper hydration. At the same time, he also warned that smoking and vaping should be avoided, as both habits contribute to kidney damage.
Dr. Orpeza also encouraged Dabawenyos to prioritize overall health and wellness by staying mindful of their daily dietary and lifestyle choices.
“Always love your kidneys and always take note, always bantayan kung unsa ang inyohang gina kaon, unsay gina inom nimo, unsa ba ang mga bisyo nimo. Kaya, let’s just invest in a healthier lifestyle kay mas mahal man gud na siya kung ang atoang gastohon is mga maintenance na mga tambal in the future. Kaya, always have a good lifestyle (Always love your kidneys and always take note, always watch what you eat, what you drink, and what your vices are. So, let’s just invest in a healthier lifestyle because it will be more expensive if what we spend on in the future are maintenance medications. So, always have a good lifestyle),” he added. CIO
Written by: N. Malasado
Edited by: A. Nawal