Mercury Drug to expand free kidney screening to 50 more branches

Local drugstore chain Mercury Drug Corp. plans to expand its free kidney screening program to 50 more branches, aiming to help more Filipinos avoid the catastrophic complications of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).

“We are expanding the kidney screening to 50 branches to bring pre-screening for blood sugar, blood pressure, and kidney health through Urine Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio (UACR) testing closer to more Filipinos,” Corazon S. Lim, vice-president for merchandising at Mercury Drug Corp., said.

She made the announcement during the signing of an agreement with AstraZeneca Philippines and Diabetes Philippines, which serve as partners and equipment providers for the drugstore’s free kidney screening initiative.

The planned expansion will add to the existing four sites, launched in January, that offer free UACR testing, Dr. Reynaldo S. Rosales, treasurer of Diabetes Philippines, told BusinessWorld. UACR testing detects early signs of kidney damage by identifying the presence of protein in the urine.

Other health screenings are also available at the sites, including blood pressure measurement, random blood sugar testing, and body mass index (BMI) assessment, which help identify risk factors associated with CKD.

Mr. Rosales said early screening for CKD is important because it is considered a silent disease, with symptoms often appearing only when the condition has already reached advanced stages.

Detecting the disease early could also help families and the government avoid the high cost of treatment, particularly dialysis.

Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) paid nearly P27 billion for more than two million hemodialysis claims for the first half of 2025

When asked about the timeline for completing the expansion and where the additional screening sites will be located, Mr. Rosales did not disclose the details, saying discussions with the drugstore are still ongoing to determine which branches will host the screening services.

“It’s a slow process. Hopefully, it will depend on Mercury Drug on how we can expand,” Mr. Rosales said on the sidelines of the event.

As of this writing, the free kidney screening test is available at Mercury Drug Corporation branches located in Shangri-La Plaza and The Pavilion Mall in Mandaluyong City, Ayala Malls Trinoma in Quezon City, and in Noveleta, Cavite.

About 1,000 patients per month are screened at each of the two Mercury Drug screening sites, helping detect early signs of kidney disease as well as Heart Disease and Diabetes Mellitus, Mr. Rosales said.

Since 2024, the partnership has screened around 44,000 patients, about 4% of whom tested positive for possible CKD, Mercury Drug earlier said.

Following the signing of the agreement, Mr. Rosales said doctors will now also be available at the four screening sites every Sunday. Patients may immediately receive medical advice and be recommended medication or additional laboratory tests if necessary.

Mr. Rosales urged Filipinos — particularly those with risk factors such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and individuals aged 60 and above — to undergo CKD screening.

Meanwhile, Lotis Ramin, country president of AstraZeneca Philippines, said the initiative aims to challenge the country’s status quo, where about 7 million Filipinos are estimated to be living with stage 3 CKD and above, while around 90% remain undiagnosed despite the high incidence.

“That’s why partnerships focused on early screening remain very important, because this can change the trajectory and outcomes for these patients,” Ms. Ramin said in her speech.

EIGHT GOLDEN RULES FOR KIDNEY CARE
To help prevent the development of kidney disease, Mr. Rosales emphasized the importance of following the “Eight Golden Rules for Kidney Care.”

These include maintaining proper control of blood pressure.

Mr. Rosales noted that a blood pressure level of 130/80 mmHg is preferable compared with the commonly cited threshold of 140/90 mmHg.

He also highlighted the importance of managing blood sugar levels, maintaining a balanced diet that includes vegetables and fruits, and setting aside time for regular exercise, even simple activities such as chair yoga during work breaks.

Proper hydration is also important, he said, encouraging people to drink adequate amounts of water, even more than the recommended six to eight glasses per day, especially amid the advent of the dry season.

Lastly, Mr. Rosales advised avoiding smoking and limiting the use of pain relievers and supplements without proper medical guidance, while ensuring regular medical checkups. — Edg Adrian A. Eva