How Kindred aims to bridge the healthcare gap for rural women
By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Reporter
FEMALE-CENTERED healthcare technology (femtech) solutions provider Kindred plans to open three hybrid clinics outside Metro Manila to expand healthcare access for women in rural areas, its founder said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e still building our new solutions, new physical clinics鈥 Right now, we鈥檙e constructing in three provinces, and even outside Luzon,鈥 Maria Jessica J. de Mesa-Lim, founder and chief executive officer of Kindred, told 大象传媒 on the sidelines of an event on Nov. 7.
Kindred, offering online and in-clinic female health services, has two hybrid clinics in Taguig City and Quezon City.
In its rural expansion, Kindred aims to 鈥渉yperlocalize鈥 its hybrid clinics to meet the needs of women in underserved areas, Ms. Lim said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 easier to have a template and replicate a one-size-fits-all strategy,鈥 she said.
鈥淏ut in healthcare, you鈥檙e dealing with people鈥檚 lives and health, so as much as possible, if we can customize per geographical area or category, it will be a big step toward positive change.鈥
Opening a women鈥檚 clinic in the province offers lower costs and minimal competition, but lack of awareness will be a challenge for femtech, Ms. Lim said.
鈥淭he hard part is more women are not aware that they actually need it鈥 It鈥檚 harder to do a lot of awareness and education in areas where they didn鈥檛 have a lot of access to that education, so there鈥檚 much more work that needs to be done in increasing awareness there rather than here in Metro Manila.鈥
Women鈥檚 access to healthcare remains underfunded and under-researched due to a lack of funding and existing social stigmas.
Many women also fear being judged or do not know the options to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases or unwanted pregnancies, among others, she added.
The Philippines lags behind its Southeast Asian peers in women鈥檚 healthcare access, ranking 93rd out of 143 countries in the 2022 Global Women鈥檚 Health Index.
The index measures healthcare access in preventive care, emotional health, health and safety opinions, basic needs, and individual health.
