Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, psoriasis patients have been extremely vulnerable and affected. Anxious and depressed, most of the patients have expressed their fears and depression brought about by issues of access to consultations, treatments, and medicines. The county’s effort to contain the virus and provide support to its people during the lockdown has been challenged by its resource limitations.

Patients who are in the no-work-no-pay employment situation could no longer afford their medications if ever these medicines are even available. The security of the supply of medicines is also widely affected due to restrictions in air, sea, and land travel, making it difficult for manufacturers and distributors to reach the local pharmacies in all or over seven thousand islands in the country. 

This was the scenario at the onset of the quarantine period enforced by the government. Isolation mode is on and strict compliance is enforced throughout our country.

As Corona Virus devastates the nation including various patient support group communities, we found a way to bring members together and build the community stronger.

We have reached out to our celebrity friends, doctors, and community leaders, to deliver very short messages of hopes which we featured daily on our Facebook Page for almost a month. Instantly, depression has ceased as the most popular topic in our private group topics and was replaced by questions like; who will be the next celebrity who will greet and inspire us?

For three consecutive Fridays, Psorphil has put up a highly successful Facebook Live Series that addressed various issues that were challenging most of our members. The format was easy: members post their questions and our guest/s would answer them during the webcast.

Joining our live weekly webcasts that premiered on May 1, 2020, were Dr. Lorna Frez (Past President of the Philippine Dermatological Society and a PsorPhil Medical Adviser), Dr. Juan Javier Lichaoco, (president of the Philippine Rheumatology Association), mental health champions and experts Dr. Gia Sison and Dr. Luz Katigbak (Vice President of the Philippine Psychiatric Association). One of our episodes had a reach of over 79,200 and got over 60,000 views.

We now usher in the New Normal with several virtual meetings to engage our members and empower them amidst the global pandemic. Among them are a virtual Patient Congress for members and a highly scientific National Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis conference for doctors.

Published on 8 June 2020.