Article
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday visited a public elementary school in Sulu to oversee the delivery of free healthcare services to students, teachers, and their families through the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP).
The President visited Kawmpang Elementary School in Barangay Bangkal, Patikul, Sulu, where the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd), conducted a YAKAP Caravan to bring essential medical services closer to school communities.
Accompanied by Education Secretary Sonny Angara, President Marcos interacted with students and teachers and inspected booths offering free healthcare services.
Around 1,280 students, parents, and teachers from Kawmpang Elementary School and another 366 from Martirez Elementary School in Jolo availed the YAKAP services.
The YAKAP Caravan provided PhilHealth registration, initial patient assessments, medical and dental consultations, and free medicines.
The initiative aims to remove financial and geographical barriers to healthcare by bringing essential medical services closer to communities, particularly schoolchildren and their families.
Through YAKAP, public schools serve as access points for primary healthcare, allowing students and teachers to receive medical attention without having to travel to hospitals or health centers.
The program also promotes early detection of health conditions that may affect children’s learning, including poor eyesight, hearing problems, dental concerns, malnutrition, and developmental difficulties.
Students requiring further medical attention, including learners with disabilities, may also be referred to appropriate healthcare providers.
Under the initiative, school clinics may partner with PhilHealth-accredited YAKAP providers through the CLASS+ program to expand access to primary care services.
Private healthcare providers and other partners are also encouraged to adopt schools and provide additional medical personnel and services.
The YAKAP initiative complements the government’s school feeding and Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) program by addressing health-related concerns that may affect students’ attendance and academic performance. | PND
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