Get your Health checked this Diabetes Awareness Week

In the Philippines, diabetes is one of the leading causes of mortality. In 2021, diabetes mellitus ranked fifth on the list of causes of death in the country, according to a report released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). This condition is caused by elevated sugar levels in the blood due to insufficient insulin production. If left unchecked, the chronic disease can result in various health complications, which include heart attack, stroke, kidney issues, and diabetic retinopathy.

The Department of Health (DOH) noted that people prone to having the disease are those who are diabetics’ children, obese, and individuals with hypertension, high levels of cholesterol, and sedentary lifestyles.

To raise awareness about diabetes while encouraging Filipinos to practice a healthy and active lifestyle to reduce the risk of having this condition, former President Fidel V. Ramos declared Diabetes Awareness Week every fourth week of July in the Philippines through Proclamation No. 213 last July 23, 1993.

This initiative emphasizes the importance of regular health checkups to detect early signs of health problems so individuals can receive treatment as soon as possible. Factors, such as age, health status, family history, and lifestyle, among others, also influence the need for a medical examination—this is where having a reliable Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) can come in handy.

To address the cost of frequent doctor visits needed for controlling and monitoring diabetes, MediCard, a leading Health and Maintenance Organization in the Philippines, offers My MediCard. It is a card that provides unlimited checkups with select MediCard doctors. It includes endocrinologists, family medicine, cardiologists, internal medicine, pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, and dentists.

Available for Php 3,600, you can purchase the card at Maria Health or on MediCard’s website. While it is only eligible for individuals in the age range of 18 to 65 years old, it has a one-year validity and may be used at MediCard-accredited hospitals or clinics. Such an offer can assist individuals through their medical expenses as they follow regular health checkups for diabetes.

Along with this, MediCard also provides its members excellent customer service and experience through MediCard GO. Accessible to Android and IOS users, it is a free and user-friendly app that allows individuals to access healthcare services.

Using MediCard Go, people who availed of MediCard services can easily search and consult doctors online, anytime and anywhere. You can also schedule appointments and request approval for laboratories and diagnostics in just a few clicks.

Registering and using the MediCard GO, with or without your physical card, make no difference when you avail MediCard packages for your medical needs.

In these uncertain times, it is always good to know our body’s health status so we can take care of ourselves for our loved ones. And yes, as we age, it further reinforced what the Dutch philosopher Desiderius Erasmus once said: “prevention is better than cure.”

That is why we must invest in a comprehensive HMO service package that can provide us with financial security for our regular health checkups to prevent illnesses and diseases, especially diabetes, that we can encounter in the long run.

MediCard is a leading HMO founded and managed by doctors. Over the years, it has provided the most comprehensive and innovative healthcare programs and fitness activities to help people achieve healthier lives.