After receiving numerous requests for the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) COVID-19 Care Kits, Vice President Leni Robredo clarified that the kits will only be sent to patients of Bayanihan E-Konsulta upon a doctor’s recommendation.
Robredo said her office does not send out the kits without the recommendation from one of their volunteer doctors. Since the kits contain basic medication for fever, cough, and other COVID symptoms, doctors must guide the patients on how to take the medicines.
“So humihingi po kami ng paumanhin na hindi namin mapadalhan lahat, kasi una siyempre limitado, pangalawa gusto namin registered talaga na pasyente namin kasi kailangan siyang namomonitor (So, we apologize that we cannot sent it to everyone because first, of course, the kits are limited. Second, we want the patients to be registered because they need to be monitored,” she said over dzXL.
The vice president explained that those who received the kits need to be monitored twice a day.
The OVP has a whole team dedicated to monitoring the patients who received the kits, which includes a digital thermometer, pulse oxymeter, sanitation bags, face masks, alcohol, basic medication, and a monitoring sheet.
“So iyong mga humihingi po, kailangan mag-register po muna sa Bayanihan E-Konsulta, kasi kailangan pong i-recommend muna ng — sa triaging pa lang, nire-recommend na ng doktor kung papadalhan o hindi, tapos mabigyan ng instructions (So, for those who are asking, you need to register in the Bayanihan E-Konsulta because we need the recommendation—starting from the triaging, the doctor will recommend if we will send or not, then there are instructions),” Robredo said.
“So iyong mga humihingi po, mag-register muna, para doctor’s recommendation (So, those who are asking, you need to register first for the doctor’s recommendation),” she added.
The lady official revealed they also have limited supplies of the kits although they are receiving a lot of inquiries about how to donate. Some are even offering to donate in cash, but the OVP does not accept cash donations.
Robredo said they need more oxygen tanks because there’s a supply problem, so those who want to help and have access to oxygen tanks can communicate with the OVP.
They also need digital thermometers, pulse oximeters, and medications for fever, cough, and cold.
“So iyong mga nakukuha po natin na messages, iyon po ang mga kailangan sa mga gustong tumulong (So, those messages we are receiving, these are what we need if you want to help),” she said.
The Bayanihan E-Konsulta was launched on April 7 to help those without access to doctors get the medical advice they need. After consultation, the OVP sends everyone a COVID Care Kit, which includes, among others, face masks, sanitizers, pulse oxymeter, thermometer, basic medicines, and a COVID-19 monitoring sheet.