CARD Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI) through its Microfinance and Health Protection (MaHP) unit launched CARD e-Doctor in April 2020 to continuously provide online medical access to clients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Said MaHP Director Dr. Roderick Belen, “We started this online platform because we saw an opportunity to continuously reach CARD MRI clients and their families amidst the pandemic. We realized at the onset of community quarantines and lockdowns last year that access to medical support will be gravely needed as we face this health crisis.”
After a year of conducting online consultations, the program recorded a total of 34,756 consultations. Further, a total of 11 partner doctors were tapped, specializing in internal and general medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, dentistry, ophthalmology, and orthopedic surgery.
“When they invited me to this program, I never hesitated to join because helping other people is my purpose in life. Being part of this initiative made it easier for doctors like us to reach clients in the country and address their medical concerns,” said Internal Medicine Physician Dr. Remedios Maligaya.
Aside from the online consultation, CARD e-Doctor also became a venue for CARD MRI to inform and educate the general public about current health issues and concerns. “Before the pandemic, we regularly conducted simultaneous weekly community health days (CHD) nationwide to provide medical, optical and dental check-ups. The CHD also allowed us to host physical forums to discuss various health topics. We decided to transform these forums online to continue our advocacy of raising awareness on health and wellness,” Dr. Belen shared. He recalled that when CARD e-Doctor held its first live consultation, the viewers reached more than 2,500 viewers nationwide. The first topic discussed in this Live is COVID-19, its symptoms, and preventive measures.
“From a total of 149 health topics that were discussed, we have reached 15,404 live viewers throughout the country. As we continuously fight the COVID-19, we are now embracing to adopt advanced technology in order to cater more clients and their families,” he concluded.
Like and follow CARD e-Doctor official Facebook page to avail free online medical consultations, watch health-related live discussions and know more about the program.
