By Jhon Aldrin Casinas
Doctors in Marikina City have gone online in answering health concerns and questions from residents seeking medical guidance amid the coronavirus outbreak.
(MARIKINA LGU / MANILA BULLETIN)
Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro announced on Monday the opening of the city’s TeleHealth program, which allows Marikeños to get medical advice from health professionals without leaving their homes.
The local government, in partnership with TeleHealth Pilipinas, introduced the program that seeks to also protect frontliners by utilizing available technology as they continue with the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
To avail of the service, the public can access the website through https://pilipinastele.vsee.me/u/marikina. They can also download the VSee Messenger app at Google Play Store and Apple App Store to avail of the online medical consultation.
Teodoro said in a statement that the program mainly aims to reduce the exposure of Marikina’s doctors and medical providers with the help of TeleHealth.
“Many of our fellowmen, while staying at their homes, are worried and afraid because they might be experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 such as difficulty in breathing, cough, and runny nose,” the city mayor said in Filipino.
“However, they cannot leave their homes because of the quarantine. And if they were allowed to go out, there is a big possibility that if they are COVID-19 positive, they might infect others,” he said.
“That is why we initiated the online medical consultation so that, while they are in their homes and they have access to the internet, they could download the application that we use here in our online medical consultation,” he added.
Teodoro explained that the doctors have online forms that the patients have to fill out. He said the technical features of the system are compliant with the Department of Health and the World Health Organization screening process.
“If they will be considered as a suspected COVID-19 case, we have a dedicated ambulance and medical personnel that will go to their residence,” he said.
Brian Tenorio, chief executive officer of TeleHealth Pilipinas, said in the same statement that this is an opportunity for them and for Marikina “to provide effective care to the public and compassionate care to our health care providers in these very challenging times.”