The Taguig City government has entered into two major agreements with some Singaporean institutions to enhance healthcare services’ accessibility for residents.
Mayor Lani Cayetano, CareSpan Asia (CareSpan) founder and chairperson Nonoy Colayco, Temasek Foundation Health and Education Executive Board chair Jennie Chua and Singhealth Duke-National University of Singapore Maternal and Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI) deputy director Prof. Fabian Yap signed the pacts in simple rites at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Bonifacio Global City on Friday.
Visiting Singaporean Health Minister Ong Ye Kung witnessed the signing of these agreements.
Through a memorandum of understanding (MOU), the city government, Temasek Foundation and the KK Women and Children’s Hospital (KKH) will develop collaborative programs, improve maternal and childcare in the city.
Cayetano said the partnership will focus on improving key health indicators, infrastructure planning, and capacity building in Taguig’s maternal and child health facilities.
It will also include training and academic exchanges, development of health programs, and joint scientific activities.
A team of experts from KKH and MCHRI earlier visited the city on Thursday, and joined a symposium on maternal and child health and assessing local facilities.
Meanwhile, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the city government and CareSpan provides for the intergration and utilization of the health technology firm’s Electronic Medical Records (EMR) systems to streamline the filing of Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) claims for patients in the city.
Under the MOA, CareSpan will provide the city government access to its advanced care platform, which is composed of an EMR system and telemedicine capabilities.
The platform, which is expected to benefit 350,000 underserved residents, would also be integrated into city’s local healthcare program.
Meanwhile, Temasek Foundation would support the initiative through providing funds worth 2.12 million Singapore dollars (around PHP91.8 million).
Meanwhile, the city government will train volunteers and health workers to engage low-income communities.
“Our mission in Taguig has always been to provide equitable access to quality and affordable healthcare for all. We have pioneered programs in the country by offering comprehensive care, including nutrition, wellness, and various medical services, bringing healthcare closer to our community – sometimes even directly to their doorsteps,” Cayetano said in a press conference.
She said the initiative also complies with the national government’s digitalization agenda and would address challenges in healthcare services.
“The resources, access to manpower, these are challenges that are real. We’re facing that, those challenges. And we are hoping that with this partnership, we can one-by-one solve each problems,” she said.
Colayco, meanwhile, emphasized the platform’s role in supporting the government’s Universal Health Care (UHC) initiative by enabling more efficient and accessible healthcare delivery in the city.
“CareSpan is dedicated to transforming healthcare for the underserved with the goal of ending health poverty through technology by providing Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems and eClaims, to make healthcare more accessible and affordable,” Colayco said. (PNA)
