(L-R) Municipality of Lobo Mayor Gaudioso Manalo, Globe Business Vice President for Sales Meanne Quiambao, Globe Business Senior Vice President Peter Maquera, DOH IV-A Regional Director Eduardo Janairo, Global Telehealth Inc. Chief Executive Officer Maridol Ylanan, and Municipality of Jomalig Mayor Rodel Espiritu
The Department of Health Center for Health Development IV-A has tapped KonsultaMD to provide free primary healthcare services to residents of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon (CALABARZON) especially those in far-flung areas who do not have immediate access to medical practitioners.
KonsultaMD is a dedicated platform where Filipinos with medical needs get easy access to primary medical care by talking to licensed, highly-trained and experienced doctors anytime, anywhere over the phone on a 24/7 basis.
“The lack of human resources is a very big problem for the Department of Health. Over the years, we have made so many interventions but it continues to persist. Most affected are those in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA). We have to do something by making use of technology such as what KonsultaMD is offering, to address the issue of human resources in order to give access to quality service to our people,” said DOH Region IV-A Director Eduardo Janairo.
Janairo led the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement with KonsultaMD, a Globe Telecom affiliate; and Globe Business, the enterprise group of Globe which encourages the integration of ICT and governance as a means of improving the delivery of government services and exchange of information.
Under the agreement, DOH Region IV-A will initially make KonsultaMD services available to 80 Barangay Health Stations in CALABARZON, with 100 more expected to benefit from the services next year.
Each Barangay Health Station will receive a telehealth kit comprised of one mobile handset and subscription to KonsultaMD services which residents may use to get all kinds of medical advice from a professional doctor over the phone.
While KonsultaMD is not meant to replace the necessary face-to-face interaction between a patient and a doctor to resolve a medical issue, its doctors can give straightforward help regarding healthcare questions and concerns and information on certain primary conditions like cough, fever, flu allergies, and prescribe over-the-counter medication. Moreover, the doctors can provide health coaching and nutrition counseling, as well as read laboratory and diagnostic results.
“KonsultaMD was created with the vision of providing every Filipino affordable and quick access to doctors whenever and wherever needed. They don’t need to travel far and spend much anymore to go to a clinic or hospital for primary medical conditions which can already be addressed by calling our doctors. Through this partnership with the Department of Health, we are another step closer to achieving this dream,” said Maridol Ylanan, CEO of Global Telehealth, Inc. which operates KonsultaMD.
On the other hand, Peter Maquera, Senior Vice President for Globe Business, said that for the Philippines to truly become a digital nation, everyone must fully take advantage of new digital opportunities and innovations to enable growth in every corner of the country.
“Several years ago, we took a view that we cannot be a company of just about profits. We needed to be responsible for everyone in the community. In view of this, we continue to look forward to having partners throughout the Philippines who can work with us in uplifting the lives of our countrymen. We are grateful to find like-minded government officials who share our aspiration,” he said.
The arrangement between DOH Center for Health Development IV-A and KonsultaMD is in line with the Universal Healthcare Law which was enacted early this year to ensure that each Filipino has access to holistic health care such as health promotion, preventive care, and curative care.