To strengthen its advocacy for a “Smarter Philippines” in the health sector, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is holding another e-Health Summit for the 2015 National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) on 28 July 2015 at SMX Convention Center, Pasay City.

With the theme “Scaling up eHealth Innovations for Inclusive Health,” this year’s eHealth Summit features a panel discussion on the topic “Making eHealth Ubiquitous.”

DOST Secretary Mario Montejo during his discussion about the benefits of online government services.

The Department of Science and Technology Information and Communications Technology (DOST-ICT) Office encouraged every Filipino to connect to the internet and access online government information and services including eHealth, during the digital empowerment program Juan, Konek! ICT Tungo sa Sama-samang Pag-unlad on 8 May 2015 at Pulilan Central Elementary School, Bulacan.

RxBox live demonstration during Juan, Konek! program.

“Through the eHealth and RxBox, diagnosis can be possible even without personal visit to the doctors,” said Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Mario Montejo during the digital empowerment program Juan, Konek! Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Tungo sa Sama-samang Pag-unlad on 8 May 2015 at Pulilan Central Elementary School, Bulacan.

Organized by DOST-ICT Office, Juan, Konek! aims to encourage every citizen to connect to the internet and access online government information and services including eHealth and RxBox.

The World Health Organization explained that eHealth is a “cost-effective and secure use of information and communication technologies in support of health and health-related fields, including health-care services, health surveillance, health literature, and health education.”

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“The healthcare services sector is expected to continuously propel ASEAN’s growth and economic activity,” the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) stated while calling for the need to invest in health care of ASEAN member countries.

According to ASEAN, healthcare providers are dared to improve their skills and resources as life expectancy in the region is expected to be greater compared to other Asian countries. “As communicable diseases have successfully been placed under control and infant mortality ratio improves, focus in many ASEAN countries has shifted to treating chronic diseases and injuries which are top death causes,” ASEAN explained.