The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has partnered with mWell, the healthcare technology platform developed by Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), and Huawei to provide telemedicine services to residents of Turtle Islands in Tawi-Tawi.

In a statement, mWell said the mWell OnTheGo initiative is part of the Broadband ng Masa (BBM) launched to provide better access and connectivity in areas with little to no internet access.

The mWell OnTheGo portable digital clinic enables almost 6,000 island residents to easily reach doctors 24/7 using the mWell app.

The mWell platform delivers services such as doctor consultations, e-prescriptions, and lab referrals.

The portable clinic will allow residents to easily access doctors using the mWell app on the Huawei Tablet and internet service provided to the community.

“Our goal is for MWell to demolish the barriers that prevent our countrymen in remote areas from receiving quality healthcare. We are always on the lookout for partnerships that enable us to do just that,” said mWell Chairman and MPIC Chairman and CEO Manuel Pangilinan.

Meanwhile, Chaye Cabal-Revilla, mWell CEO and President and MPIC Chief Finance, Risk, and Sustainability Officer, said mWell aims to make health and wellness accessible to more Filipinos.

“Recognizing that good health is very important for livelihood and improving the overall quality of life, we will continue to be an instrument for our country’s sustainable development,” Cabal-Revilla said.

Aside from Turtle islands, the mWell OnTheGo was earlier provided to the residents in Sacol Island, Zamboanga.

“We are grateful to Huawei and mWell for responding to our request to make available much-needed telemedicine services to Sacol,” DICT assistant secretary Maria Teresa Camba said.

“This island of four barangays and 12,000 people now have access to medical experts from all over the country,” added Camba. (PNA)