Inter-generational women unite to bridge female healthcare gap

In the Philippines, 60 percent of the population are women. Despite this, in Metro Manila alone, where the population is about 20 million, there is hardly any medical institution that pays attention to the specific wellness needs of women, unlike in Singapore, where the population is only eight million, but women’s clinics are abundant.

“When you look for women’s clinic, women’s health, what comes out? The hospitals, correct? You have The Medical City, St. Luke’s, Makati Med. That’s what comes out. You search in Singapore, you go to Dubai, and it’s like so many,” fretted Dr. Carol Joanna Violago-Olivarez, a graduate of Ateneo Medical School, a board-certified OB-GYN with 15 years of experience in healthcare, including residency training in The Medical City and postgraduate course at Harvard Medical School.

Because of this “healthcare gap” among women, many women, like stylist, art director and Good Finds Club newsletter founder and editor Jenni Epperson run to artificial intelligence (AI) apps such as ChatGPT to seek for immediate medical answers.

“Who here has Googled or asked ChatGPT or any AI doctor symptoms at two a.m., not because you wanted to self-diagnose, but because you felt too embarrassed, too busy, or too unsure if your concerns aren’t real enough to bother a doctor?” Jenni asked at a recent roundtable discussion she hosted.

Since stepping into her 50s, Jenni has been looking for answers about hot flashes, bleeding and other concerns brought in by menopause — and simply looking up on these topics on the Internet does not solve her problems.

“Obviously, I went into ChatGPT and asked, why am I experiencing this? And it’s a mistake because you get so nervous because there’s just so many collated information that’s not really tailored, man… I want peace of mind. That’s what I want. Empowerment. And I’m not getting it from Dr. GPT. You know, the only way to get it is because everyone has their own special DNA and treatment. So I really needed to go to the doctor,” she said.

“While many say that 50s are completely fabulous, this is also when long-term health and quality of life start taking center stage. And for many, menopause becomes less of a distant idea and more of a real everyday experience. It’s a conversation that deserves more openness, clarity and support.”

At the panel discussion, women in their 20s, 30s and 40s agreed that their bodies don’t work in isolated chapters. It involves through every stage, from reproductive health, to family planning, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause and menopause.

“I think when we talk about these feelings, you know, as women, like I think it will make men realize that all women feel this way, there must be something in their hormones. But you could really see the connection of everyone and how we all experience this in so many different ages in our lives, it’s just really mind-blowing how even in your 20s, 30s, 40s, there’s like this thread that connects all of us, right?” Jenni pointed out.

3 prongs to wellness

Whether woman or man, there are three prongs to wellness that should be address for holistic wellness, said Violago-Olivarez. Number one is awareness.

“The second one is having an institution that will actually address the needs of our patients... In other countries, in other Southeast Asian countries, just our neighbors, there are so many. But here, how long does it take for you to schedule an appointment, to even know who to go to, right? And afterwards, you get an appointment, you do your consult, and then you’re asked to do a diagnostic, ultrasound, blood work.

“If you’re in the hospital, you have to go from the clinic building to the laboratory, in the ground floor with a queue that’s like 109, or you end up choosing to go somewhere convenient near you, but that would mean having to get a car or go elsewhere. And then you have to go through the process again of booking or scheduling. So the average waiting period or management period here in the Philippines is from seven days to one month,” Dr. Violago-Olivarez fretted.

Based on her experience, she only got to see a patient after three months. “And it wasn’t a simple disease. It was actually very severe. And it just shows like, you know, going back to the third prong of wellness. So you have awareness, you have the institution or the management to help address the concern. The third is community.”

According to her, community plays a key and pivotal role in being able to support wellness, especially among women.

“Did you know that in PhilHealth… like the pay for a cataract surgery is like three times higher than a cesarean section? That’s crazy, right? Like, something that is life-giving. I mean, both are life-giving, but the other one is literally life-giving, right?”

Even health maintenance organizations (HMOs) don’t cover fertility, perimenopause and other health concerns caused by hormones, she noted.

Believing that healthcare should be “transformative” and “empowering,” Dr. Violago-Olivarez founded Eluvo Health at Parqal Mall, Parañaque City, with plans to open 10 clinics nationwide by 2030, as a hybrid women’s healthcare provider offering integrated, education-led care across reproductive health, fertility, pregnancy, postpartum support, hormone health and midlife care.

“Eluvo comes from the word ‘ovule,’ which is the female reproductive organ of the flower. And it’s very metaphoric because if you fertilize an ovule, it turns into a seed. It turns into a plant. And if you nurture that plant properly, it grows and eventually it bears its own growth. Here at Eluvo, our goal is to be able to bring expert care, but also compassionate care. I think that is very key, and I would say that Filipinos generally are very good at that and naturally good at that. We’re caregivers. That’s why we’re the best nurses. We’re the best in healthcare. Why not best doctors, right?” she affirmed.

Aiming to bring in global standards, with local expertise and the best healthcare services, the center assembled its own league of experts in women’s health, which includes Endometriosis Gynecology Ultrasound Diagnostics expert Dr. Gino Santos, who trained directly in the best institute in the world for such expertise, in the Czech Republic, and one of the less than 10 here in the Philippines who do advanced diagnostic ultrasound, particularly for deep infiltrating endometriosis, also ovarian cyst, endometriotic cyst and gynec-onco ultrasound.

At the core of Eluvo Health’s approach is its “Talk, Test, Treat” model designed to reflect how women actually experience healthcare. Care begins with open, stigma-free conversations, where women feel heard and supported. This is followed by clear, evidence-based diagnostics, helping remove confusion and uncertainty. Treatment then extends beyond prescriptions alone, integrating medical guidance with lifestyle support and education — recognizing that wellbeing is both physical and personal.

Although medical in nature, the center is a far cry from a typical hospital setting. Epperson likened it to a spa, even.

“I would travel from a party to Eluvo just to experience this because It’s hard enough to be a woman lining up, unless it’s like an emergency… I want to go to a place where I can breathe, relax and just be,” she said.

“So today is about helping everyone feel informed, empowered and confident in taking charge of your long-term wellness. Health deserves to be understood, optimized and celebrated before your body has to scream for attention.”