By Gabriela Baron
Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) Bayanihan E-Konsulta, which started providing free online consultations during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, will cease operations on Tuesday, May 31.
“Taos-puso kaming nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng nakiisa sa inisyatibo nating ito upang makapaghatid ng kinakailangang tulong medikal sa ating mga kababayan ngayong panahon ng COVID-19 pandemic,” OVP said in a statement.
Outgoing Vice President Leni Robredo also thanked volunteer doctors, nurses, medical professionals, and non-medical professionals who helped run the program.
“Lubos ang aking pasasalamat sa lahat ng nakasama natin: sa ating volunteers doctors, call/chat agents, [emergency medical service] teams, and to my OVP family,” Robredo said in a tweet Tuesday, May 31.
“At sa lahat ng mga kababayan na ating natulungan sa Bayanihan E-Konsulta, malaking karangalan po para sa amin na kayo ay mapaglingkuran,” Robredo added.
Huling araw ngayon ng ating Bayanihan E-Konsulta initiative.
Since we launched the program in April 2021, we have assisted more than 58,000 cases—both COVID and non-COVID patients. This was made possible by volunteers, including 947 doctors and 1,761 call/chat agents. pic.twitter.com/RL3caxC2HS
— Leni Robredo (@lenirobredo) May 31, 2022
Launched in April 2021, the Bayanihan E-Konsulta offered free telemedicine services to help decongest hospitals following the record-high spike in COVID-19 cases in the country.
Since its launch, the initiative has assisted over 58,000 cases of both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients, with 947 volunteer doctors and 1,761 volunteer call/chat agents.
OVP is also closing down its social services assistance program on June 1.
Robredo’s term ends June 30. She earlier announced she would launch the Angat Buhay Foundation, a non-government organization, on July 1. – ag
