DOH launches ‘Tara, KonsulTayo’ caravan

Sec. Teodoro Herbosa, Department of Health. | INQUIRER.net / Arnel Tacson

The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday launched a two-day open and free health caravan for all age groups in Quezon City, which aims to promote health and primary care and empower Filipinos with a proactive approach toward health care.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa led the opening of the “Tara, KonsulTayo! National Health Fair” at Liwasang Aurora in Quezon City Memorial Circle.

“Through the ‘Tara, KonsulTayo!’ National Health Fair, we strengthen our commitment to better health-seeking behavior and health awareness of Filipinos,” the secretary said in his speech.

“It is important that we empower individuals with precise and reliable information, urging them to embrace regular testing and early screening services to mitigate the risk of diseases. Our goal is to guarantee access to high-quality health care for every Filipino toward Universal Health Care,” Herbosa added.

According to DOH, the Health Fair is part of the health sector’s eight-point Action Agenda, particularly “Pag-iwas sa sakit” (Avoiding sickness), which seeks to improve health literacy and promote health-seeking behavior.

The two-day National Health Fair followed a four-tier consumer journey approach. In the “join and learn” segment, participants learned common signs and symptoms of prevalent diseases such as tuberculosis, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) /Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, hypertension, and cancer along with their risk factors at the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) booths.

Freebies

In the “KonsulTayo” portion, participants were encouraged to consult with primary care providers (PCPs) for medical advice and were provided with the knowledge they needed to confidently navigate health care delivery networks.

Freebies and prizes were awarded to those who successfully completed the stamps by engaging in the IEC booths.

In collaboration with partner institutions, the first 600 registrants received free consultations, basic diagnostic services and medications to address the health care needs of the patients.

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Free services offered include HIV screening, testing, and counseling, family planning, and reproductive healthcare, health promotion and counseling, as well as cervical cancer screening for women in honor of National Women’s Month.

For continuity of care, the National Health Fair linked patients to providers through patient navigation, referral networks and accessible specialty centers and PCPs.