DepEd health caravan targets 47,600 school community members

About 47,600 teachers, learners, parents and school personnel are expected to receive primary healthcare services as the Department of Education (DepEd) brought a government health caravan to 91 public schools nationwide on Monday.

The school-based activities, conducted under the multi-agency Handog ng Pangulo service caravan, were held in 85 cities and provinces and included PhilHealth registration, medical consultations and access to medicines.

“Naniniwala tayo na ang malusog na komunidad ng paaralan ang pundasyon ng mas mahusay na pagkatuto,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.

The target beneficiaries consist of about 22,000 teachers, 18,700 learners, 6,000 parents and guardians, and 900 non-teaching personnel, according to DepEd.

The initiative was carried out with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) through its Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP), which provides primary care services to PhilHealth members through designated clinics.

Participating schools served as temporary sites for several PhilHealth services, including registration of new members, issuance of identification cards and Member Data Records, and assignment to YAKAP primary care clinics.

Beneficiaries could also undergo initial medical consultations and preventive health registration and receive medicines through PhilHealth's GAMOT program.