The Office of the Vice President (OVP) still has to process backlogs in its online teleconsulation service after its weeklong operations to provide easier access to medical care during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Vice President Leni Robredo reported on social media her office’s latest initiative called “Bayanihan E-Konsulta” attended to 10,830 medical queries from April 7 to 12.
Robredo’s office has set up the online platform offering free medical services to COVID and non-COVID outpatients in Metro Manila and nearby provinces belonging to the NCR Plus bubble.
This program aims to service those who are not able to get medical care from overcrowded hospitals because of the prevailing health crisis.
Available on Facebook’s free data service, the OVP’s E-Konsulta, however, temporarily came to a halt on Monday, April 12, after receiving a lot of public requests that caused the backlogs.
“We have more than a thousand volunteers and we are truly grateful. But because of the huge number of calls for help we have been getting, our backlogs are mounting. We have worked on them the entire day today, pero marami pa din natira,” Robredo said in a Facebook post late Monday night.
The vice president announced that the online platform is again open to accepting inquiries, but it has a new schedule on the teleconsultation service starting Tuesday.
“While we are catching up with more backlogs, we will limit our doctor consultation period and will start at 8 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. so we could utilize the remaining time to catch up on our backlogs,” she said.
Saying that they were “overwhelmed” in the implementation of Bayanihan E-Konsulta was an “understatement,” according to Robredo.
“This is, we all agree, the most complicated program we have ever embarked on because it entails a lot of moving parts and a wide-range of help being sought,” Robredo said.
“One, because we really lack manpower and resources. Two, all our external partners are working on a volunteer basis and almost all of them also have full time work of their own and are devoting their precious free time to help. Third, we have to comply with protocols,” she explained.