The Situation
Diabetes is the second most common comorbidity in Philippine COVID-19 patients. One in 14 Filipino adults has been diagnosed, according to the International Diabetes Federation. But 32.5 percent of diabetics don’t take their medication as prescribed. During a pandemic that made diabetes patients significantly more vulnerable, non-adherence was a direct risk factor for severe outcomes.
MSD Philippines needed to promote medication adherence among diabetes patients at a time when clinic visits had dropped and healthcare access was disrupted. The campaign had to reach patients who were managing their condition from home, often without regular doctor supervision, and convince them that consistent medication was a matter of survival, not convenience.
The Approach
Phase 1: Press Release Development Around COVID-Diabetes Intersection
Developed three press releases addressing the specific challenges Filipino diabetics faced during the pandemic: medication adherence as a tool to reduce COVID-19 risk, the role of nurses in diabetes management, and how telemedicine and technology could support patients managing from home. Each release connected diabetes management to the pandemic context that made it urgent.
Phase 2: One-on-One Broadcast Interviews With Doctors & Patients
Arranged three broadcast interviews featuring doctors, patients, and educators from the Philippine Association of Diabetes Educators. The interviews put human faces on the adherence conversation, giving broadcast audiences personal perspectives on living with diabetes during COVID-19 rather than clinical talking points.
Phase 3: Kalingang KaTribu Facebook Live & Digital Distribution
Produced the Kalingang KaTribu Facebook Live session covering diabetes management, thriving with the illness, and handling difficulties during the pandemic. The session was simulcast on YouTube and supported by seeded press coverage across major online publications including Business Mirror, Manila Times, and Philippine Star.
The Results
- PHP 88.2M+ Combined media value across all three press release campaigns
- 2.2M Referred traffic from the Kalingang KaTribu Facebook Live session
- 6,237 Views on the patient adherence broadcast release during COVID-19
Campaign Highlights:
- Telemedicine release generated PHP 3.4M in media value across seeded outlets
- Patient adherence release delivered PHP 83M in media value with broadcast amplification
- Diabetes control during pandemic release contributed PHP 1.8M in media value
- Coverage secured in Business Mirror, Manila Times, and Philippine Star
- Kalingang KaTribu YouTube counterpart generated 998,800 in referred traffic
- Philippine Association of Diabetes Educators partnered as a credibility source for broadcast interviews
The Takeaway
Health campaigns that tell patients what to do generate compliance. Health campaigns that show patients they can do it generate adherence. MSD‘s diabetes campaign worked because “Kontrolado Ko, Diabetes Ko” made the patient the subject of the sentence, not the object.
- Industry: Healthcare
- Service: PR & Digital Campaigns
- Solution: For International Brands Entering PH
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you run a medication adherence campaign during a pandemic?
By connecting adherence to the immediate risk that patients understand. During COVID-19, diabetes patients were more vulnerable to severe outcomes. Framing medication adherence as a direct way to reduce COVID risk gave the campaign urgency that a standard health education message wouldn’t have carried.
Why use broadcast interviews instead of print-only coverage for a health campaign?
Because the target audience, Filipino diabetics managing at home, consumes broadcast content more than print. One-on-one interviews with doctors, patients, and diabetes educators created personal, relatable segments that reached patients through the channels they were already watching during lockdowns.
What role does a Facebook Live session play in a healthcare PR campaign?
It creates a real-time engagement moment where patients and caregivers can watch, learn, and share. The Kalingang KaTribu session generated 2.2 million in referred traffic on Facebook and nearly a million more on YouTube, proving that live health content has a reach advantage over static press coverage.
How do you address a 32.5% medication non-adherence rate through communications?
By making the patient the hero of their own health story. The campaign slogan “Kontrolado Ko, Diabetes Ko” (I control my diabetes) framed adherence as a personal empowerment decision rather than a doctor’s order. The broadcast interviews reinforced this by featuring real patients who were managing successfully.
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