7th GSMA SDG Impact Report Features Globe for Advancing Health Solutions in PH

Global mobile industry organization GSMA has featured the efforts of leading digital solutions platform Globe in advancing health solutions in the Philippines through KonsultaMD and HealthNow.

In the 2022 Mobile Industry Impact Report: Sustainable Development Goals, GSMA acknowledged how KonsultaMD delivered remote healthcare solutions as the pandemic magnified weaknesses and gaps in healthcare systems. According to GSMA, the past year was challenging given “geopolitical upheaval, rising inflation, and the effect of the climate crisis affecting billions around the world.” It emphasized how the global health crisis slowed progress towards the attainment of the SDGs.

Globe Group President and CEO Ernest Cu emphasized, “Connectivity has become a lifeline to Filipinos as we recover from the pandemic, which accelerated our shift to becoming a more digital society. Globe has been at the forefront of the Philippines’ digital transformation, bringing together innovation and sustainability to deliver life-enabling services in fintech, edutech, healthtech and business solutions that propel the country’s inclusive growth and development.”

The 96-page report cited how KonsultaMD reached more than one million members in 2021. KonsultaMD is a subscription-based telemedicine service offering 24/7 virtual medical consultations and issuance of medical documents such as e-prescriptions, e-laboratory requests, e-referrals, and e-medical certificates. Patients can consult a doctor to address general and mental health concerns via chat, voice or video call from the comfort of their home.

Likewise, telehealth and medicine delivery service HealthNow processed 15,000 to 20,000 medicine delivery orders daily and helped administer more than one million COVID-19 vaccines.

GSMA said low- and middle-income countries often lack adequate healthcare facilities, supplies and workers to ensure rapid testing and detection of infections, particularly during the height of the pandemic.

But with telehealth, the GSMA report highlighted that 2.1 billion people worldwide used their phones to improve or monitor their health, representing an increase of 270 million people since 2020.

Meanwhile, 917Ventures Managing Director Vince Yamat shared: “The pandemic underscored the need to make healthcare more accessible and affordable for Filipinos. This provided Globe with an opportunity to expand the reach of its ecosystem of digital solutions platforms, particularly KonsultaMD and HealthNow. At a time when physical distancing was key, these mobile-first applications made doctors, consultations and basic health services more accessible to those who needed immediate medical attention during the pandemic, without the risk of exposure. Likewise, it has helped in providing healthcare workers the much-needed reprieve from the overwhelming traffic in hospitals, as it served as a national triage system for patients.”

In July 2022, KonsultaMD and HealthNow, along with another health app called AIDE, announced consolidation to become a one-stop health superapp under KonsultaMD.  This new superapp will be launched in the first quarter of 2023.

“This consolidation is the biggest telehealth play the country has seen and brings together the strengths of the three health apps to reach more Filipinos and provide seamless health services, from on-demand teleconsultations, online medicine delivery, and home service booking for laboratory testing,” said KonsultaMD CEO Cholo Tagaysay.

Meaningful connectivity is seen to drive social inclusion, economic recovery, and future crisis resilience. Despite the pandemic, the report revealed that members of the mobile industry increased their contribution to the 17 SDGs in 2021.

Globe is committed to supporting 10 of the 17 United Nations SDGs, which includes SDG 3 on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all.

It has been at the forefront of the Philippines’ digital transformation, bringing together innovation and sustainability to deliver life-enabling services in fintech, edutech, healthtech, and other business solutions to propel inclusive growth and development.