The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the most disruptive events in modern times. The normal operations of all industries have been affected and healthcare — being at the forefront of the fight against the disease, one of the most impacted.
Some doctors halted consultations to minimize the spread of the virus while many hospitals had to put up separate wards and rooms for COVID patients to avoid an outbreak. Nearly two years after the initial outbreak, life has settled into a form of normalcy and doctors are urging patients to reconnect with their doctors and address their health concerns.
To help spread this message, an initiative titled Kumusta Doc was held which featured representatives from the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAPI), the Philippine Alliance for Patient Organization (PAPO), St. Luke’s Medical Center, and the University of Santo Tomas.
The Kumusta Dok initiative was prompted by the staggering numbers of deaths from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in the country. Based on a report by the Philippine Statistics Authority, in 2020 alone, 100,000 Filipinos died from heart disease, over 60,000 from cancer, almost 40,000 from diabetes, roughly around 35,000 from pneumonia, and 25,000 from hypertension.
At the forefront of the discussion was the need for people to visit their doctors, especially those with NCDs as preventive measures and regular checkups are the best way to maintain their level of health. NCDs such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and their complications account for most of the deaths in the Philippines. However, these health concerns can be managed through regular consultations and proper medication.
“There have been far fewer COVID-19 fatalities than any of these non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the fear of getting COVID-19 has prevented or discouraged many patients suffering from other serious ailments from getting the medical attention and care they need on a timely manner,”
“We need to get people back to taking charge of their health, especially those with these serious noncommunicable diseases before they get worse,” PAPO representative Leyden Florido said. PHAPI Corporate Secretary Richard Lirio noted that reports have been coming out about the growing number of Filipino doctors and patients adopting telemedicine, as well as the likelihood of the technology remaining in demand even after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our doctors and facilities also had to adapt to the unprecedented situation and find new ways in order for them to continue serving our patients. With the safety measures healthcare professionals have been putting in place, immediate and regular consultations are possible even though COVID-19 is still around,” Lirio said.
“The best time to see their doctor is now.” “Prevention is always better than cure. The earlier they consult and seek medical attention, the better for everyone. This is especially true during the pandemic. Timely management of medical conditions will lessen the potential for these diseases to worsen to the point of becoming an emergency. This is one way of alleviating our emergency services that attend to both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients,” Florido concurred.
