mWell launches OnTheGo medical drone delivery service

by Patricia B. Mirasol, Producer

mWell, the digital healthcare arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corporation (MPIC), launched on February 5 its OnTheGo medical drone delivery in Barangay Niogan, Pilila, Rizal.

OnTheGo, the first in Southeast Asia, complements the company’s telemedicine services to geographically isolated communities.

The service is in partnership with not-for-profit organization Philippines Flying Labs (PFL), which – in 2022 – was the first in Southeast Asia to use cargo drones for medical deliveries across oceans.

“Distance should never be a barrier to healthcare,” mWell chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said in a Feb. 5 press statement. “Through drones, we’re bridging the distance between patients and life-saving medicines. This isn’t simply a matter of convenience, but of getting help to every Filipino that needs it.”

The health and wellness mega app has been providing mWell OnTheGo Clinic-In-A-Bag to enable teleconsultation in remote areas such Turtle Islands in Tawi-Tawi, Calayan Island, and Sacol Island. Each of these bags contains a tablet or mobile phone, health passes for online doctor consultation, a Smart pocket Wi-Fi, and an mWellness Kit with a digital thermometer, blood pressure monitor, and oximeter.

One barrier to patient care has been the difficulty in acquiring prescribed medications due to limited pharmacy access and medication shortage.

“We have received feedback that after consultations, doctors prescribe medicines that are sometimes unavailable in health centers,” Tisha C. Quinitio, mWell’s business development head, said.

“Since these patients are in remote areas, we thought about how to get the medicines to them. That’s why we partnered with the [PFL], which offers drone delivery services,” she said on Feb. 5.

“After an mWell teleconsultation, with just a click on their tablet, medicines can be delivered directly to remote areas via drone,” she added.

DICT secretary Ivan John Uy, who attended the launch together with mWell, PFL, and Department of Health representatives, said many Filipinos will benefit from the service.

“Maipagmamalaki natin sa ibang bansa na hindi tayo nahuhuli (We can proudly say that we are not being left behind by other countries),” he said in the same press release.