Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed) recently won a Silver Anvil at the 2020 Anvil Awards for its intensive and multi-platform Public Health Information Program on COVID-19. The program, recognized under the COVID-related PR programs with tools special category, was successfully rolled out in 2020 at the onset of the pandemic to disseminate accurate and relevant information.
With the top Philippine hospital being one of those at the forefront of the health crisis, MakatiMed’s Creative, Communications & Sales Services Division (CCSSD) led the information and awareness drive to educate its hospital staff, patients, and the general public on the nature of the virus, its symptoms, and ways in which infection can be prevented. Patients and the public were consistently kept abreast with regulatory guidelines and patient pathways via the hospital’s social media platforms.
The communications also strongly emphasized the importance of adhering to the recommended measures aligned with the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Department of Health (DOH).
MakatiMed President & CEO Atty. Pilar Nenuca Almira, and MakatiMed Medical Director Dr. Saturnino Javier, both underlined that communication in times of crisis is essential in mitigating the impact of a pandemic, as misinformation and fake news drive risks and tensions higher. The hospital has been a constant source of reliable information on COVID-19 to help guide the public and assuage fear and confusion.
The Anvil Awards, presented by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP), is considered as the top awards program for public relations in the country, honoring the most outstanding PR Programs and Tools annually.
