No WiFi or Data Needed: This Online Doctor Consultation Is Completely Free

(SPOT.ph)  Hospitals are filling up and medical supplies are running out amid the COVID-19 surge in Metro Manila and nearby provinces,. Patients, whether afflicted with COVID-19 or not, are having a hard time getting themselves checked. Plus, it doesn't help that transportation is limited. In an effort to somehow alleviate this situation in our national healthcare system, the Office of the Vice President launched Bayanihan E-Konsulta on April 7. The Facebook page is accessible with free data, since you only need to send them a message through Facebook Messenger.

"[It] is meant to serve COVID or non-COVID patients who might not need hospitalization but would need to talk to a doctor to seek medical advice," said Vice President Leni Robredo in a post.

On April 8, Robredo herself showed the public how to avail of the service through a video post. Everything is done via Messenger through a series of prompts.

Here are the steps to get this free doctor consultation:

• Look for Bayanihan E-Konsulta page on Facebook. Click on "Send Message."
• To continue, type either "Tulong" or "Konsulta."
• Consults with volunteer doctors are facilitated through a set of questions written in Filipino to determine whether the case is emergent or not.
• Emergency cases are referred to hospitals via the Department of Health One Hospital Command as soon as you type in your contact details.
• Otherwise, you're connected to volunteer doctors for online consult if you're within the NCR Plus bubble.

The Office of the Vice President posted their call for medical and non-medical volunteers on April 6. Within 24 hours, more than 2,300 volunteers signed up. The page was officially launched on April 7, 5 a.m. You can also find other information, such as contact numbers of hospitals in the National Capital Region, on the Bayanihan E-Konsulta page.

For more information, follow Bayanihan E-Konsulta on Facebook.

UPDATE (April 10): The Office of the Vice President also sends out COVID Care Kits, which includes a thermometer, oxymeter, disinfectants, and medicine, to COVID-19 patients in home quarantine.

"One of our realizations since Wednesday was that most of our patients who are covid positive and doing home isolation are relieved that they get to talk to a medical doctor. But when doctors start asking them to monitor their symptoms and report them, they do not have thermometers and oxymeters to check their temperature and oxygen level. We thought it would be best to send them a Covid Kit with medicines and medical supplies, a monitoring sheet and instructions. We started sending them out yesterday per doctors’ recommendation," said Robredo in a post on April 9.

Hey, Spotters! Check us out on Viber to join our Community and subscribe to our Chatbot.