Sulu:A total of 1,600 learners from Kawmpang Elementary School in Sulu have received free medical, dental, vision, and mental health services through the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) Health and Kalinga Caravan, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) announced on Wednesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the initiative was conducted during President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s visit, emphasizing the government's commitment to maintaining student health, engagement, and readiness to learn.
The caravan provided essential healthcare directly to students in one of the country's geographically isolated communities. Education Secretary Sonny Angara, PhilHealth Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO BARMM) acting Regional Vice President Dagoraon Macarambon II, and the Department of Health collaborated to eliminate healthcare barriers for schoolchildren and their families.
Under the YAKAP program, students received comprehensive health assessments, including primary care consultations, dental checkups, vision screenings, and mental health evaluations. These preventive services allowed health professionals to identify and address conditions that could interfere with learning and the overall well-being of the schoolchildren.
Vision screenings were conducted to detect eye conditions that might impact academic performance, while dental consultations addressed common oral health issues. Mental health evaluations helped identify students who needed psychosocial support and early intervention.
PRO BARMM also established a PhilHealth service desk on-site to assist parents and guardians with membership registration, profile updates, and enrollment in their preferred YAKAP clinics. This on-site assistance enabled families to access PhilHealth services without having to travel long distances.
PhilHealth highlighted that the caravan's school-based approach allowed health professionals to identify and address medical concerns early, thus helping prevent conditions that could negatively affect students' attendance, participation, and academic achievement.
