JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH | Vol. 45, No. 1, pp. e152–e153
Correspondence
Wanted: quality telehealth for all
Dear editor
e152
Sincerely,
Ma. Marilou S. Ibita
References
1. AlMatar R, al-Haqan A, Abdullah I, Waheedi S. Population
perceptions of health care services provided virtually (telehealth):
a cross-sectional study. J Public Health 2022;44:fdac056.
https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdac056.
2. Pope Francis. Fratelli Tutti. 3 October 2020, date last accessed https://
www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/pa
pa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html.
3. Department of Health website. DOH boosts Telemedicine services
for NCR; services to Expand to other Regions Soon. 31 May 2022,
date last accessed. https://doh.gov.ph/doh-press-release/DOHBOOST-TELEMEDICINE-SERVICES-FOR-NCR-SERVICETO-EXPAND-TO-OTHER-REGIONS-SOON.
4. Wee-Co PA. et al. Process Evaluation of the COVID-19 Telemedicine
Regulatory Sandbox in the Philippines. COVID-19 Research Brief . Manila:
ThinkWell,
2022.
https://thinkwell.global/wp-content/uploa
ds/2022/03/COVID-19-Research-Brief_Telemedicine-3.1.22FINAL.pdf.
5. Ramos CM. Robredo calls for more volunteers for Bayanihan
E-Konsulta program. INQUIRER.net, 7 January 2022, date last
accessed. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1537378/fwd-robredo-callsfor-more-volunteers-for-bayanihan-e-konsulta-program.
6. Office of the Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines. Thousands Receive Free COVID-19 Consultation, Care Packages
from VP Leni’s Bayanihan E-Konsulta, 11 January 2022, date last
accessed. https://ovp.gov.ph/post/thousands-receive-free-covid-19consultation-care-packages-vp-lenis-bayanihan-e-konsulta.html.
© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/article/45/1/e152/6640291 by guest on 05 December 2024
AlMatar and colleagues’ publication demonstrates that telehealth is an acceptable, easy-to-use and comfortable means
of ensuring continued health care delivery for Coronavirus
Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients and others especially at
the height of the severe lockdowns.1 Telehealth, then, is a
valuable tool to attain the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 3, good health and well-being. Their survey
results indicate that the research is about paid or subsidized
telehealth. What about quality telehealth for the poor in countries with weak health care system burdened by COVID-19?
In this context, one hears Pope Francis’ lament in his 2021
encyclical on Fraternity and Social Friendship, no. 189: ‘We
are still far from a globalization of the most basic of human
rights. . . . Often, as we carry on our semantic or ideological
disputes, we allow our brothers and sisters to die of hunger
and thirst, without shelter or access to health care.’2
The Philippine’s Department of Health has free and
third-party paid telehealth services since April 2020.3 An
initial review of the government’s telehealth program from
April to August 2020 reveals the observation that telehealth
indeed improves access to health services especially under the
pandemic but the government needs to provide appropriate
incentives for providers and beneficiaries, formalize its
use even beyond the pandemic, as well as ensure effective
monitoring and evaluation of these services through policies.4
However, what is missing is assuring that after the online
consultation and prescription, the medical interventions
are carried out to guarantee patient compliance and wellbeing. It is in this light that the solidarity-based telehealth
program Bayanihan E-Konsulta (BEK) of the Office of Vice
President Leni Robredo provides a high-quality example of
free telehealth to patients with various illnesses including
COVID-19.5 BEK’s volunteer doctors and specialists, nurses
and other medical professionals gave free physical and mental
telehealth services to children and adults especially during the
pandemic surges when hospitals were overwhelmed. Nonmedically trained people, even Robredo herself, volunteered
as Call Bridging Agents between patient and doctors
through free online communication channels. BEK patients
received a complete COVID-care home kit including a 2week monitoring sheet, thermometer, oximeter, prescribed
medicines for COVID-19 symptoms, oral antiseptic, a box of
face masks, a bottle of alcohol, garbage bags and disinfectant
for monitoring and support.6 BEK served 58 000 COVID
and non-COVID patients through the 947 doctors and 1761
call/chat agents volunteers when it closed on 31 May 2022
since Robredo’s term ends in June 30.7
However, as the pandemic continues, there is no clear
plan yet for quality public healthcare from the incoming
government. Like the Philippines, how can countries with
COVID-weakened health care, pursue quality and sustainable
telehealth for all under the pandemic and beyond? Will the
United Nations Development Goal 3, good health and wellbeing, become a reality or will it remain to be a ‘wish’?8
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
e153
7. Lalu GB. Robredo thanks Bayanihan E-Konsulta volunteers for
helping 58,000 people. INQUIRER.net, 31 May 2022, date last
accessed . https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1604844/robredo-thanks-ba
yanihan-e-konsulta-volunteers-for-helping-58000-people.
Ma Marilou S. Ibita
De La Salle University, Department of Theology and
Religious Education, Manila 1004, Philippines
8. Aurelio JM. et al. Health reform, pay hike: wish list for Bongbong Marcos grows. INQUIRER.net, 28 May 2022, date last
accessed. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1603527/health-reform-payhike-wish-list-for-bongbong-marcos-grows.
Address correspondence to Ma Marilou S. Ibita,
E-mail: ma.marilou.ibita@dlsu.edu.ph
https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdac075
Advance Access Publication July 12, 2022
Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/article/45/1/e152/6640291 by guest on 05 December 2024