SureVax has entered right into a landmark partnership with Intellicare and Avega to dramatically expand access to life-saving rabies post-exposure care within the Philippines.
The collaboration is a pioneering effort by two leading health maintenance organizations to construct partnerships with a dedicated network of standalone Animal Bite Centers focused on frontline rabies treatment.
The partnership also provides Intellicare and Avega members with access to animal bite management and post‑exposure rabies treatment services across SureVax clinics nationwide, with coverage based on their plan advantages. It enhances timely access to care while helping ease the burden on hospitals and native health facilities.
Intellicare and Avega are also SureVax’s first HMO partners, signaling a significant milestone in the corporate’s expansion.
Rabies stays one among the country’s deadliest yet most preventable diseases. Department of Health (DoH) data recorded 426 rabies-related deaths in 2024, with all reported human cases proving fatal.
Despite its near 100% fatality rate once symptoms appear, rabies might be fully prevented when post-exposure treatment is run promptly. Delays in access and overcrowded facilities proceed to undermine outcomes, particularly in rabies-endemic and densely populated areas.
SureVax was established to function a focused frontline provider for rabies and animal bite care, delivering rapid treatment in community-based clinics while helping decongest emergency rooms and public hospitals.
“This partnership changes how frontline rabies care is accessed,” said Ryan Abis, CEO of SureVax. “Rabies is time-critical. Access determines survival. By working with Intellicare and Avega, we’re ensuring patients receive immediate post-exposure care in clinics designed specifically for rabies and animal bite treatment.”
The collaboration reflects a broader shift toward decentralizing healthcare delivery by bringing essential, rapid-response services closer to communities.
“This signing inaugurates a strategic alliance in preventive care, committing to enhanced coverage, faster treatment, and broader public health impact,” said Dr. Gerardo Jiao, Chief Medical Director of Intellicare.
Dr. Michael John Encarnacion, Medical Director of Avega Managed Care Medical Provider Relations Department, said that “rabies is a highly preventable viral disease.”
“Through SureVax, vaccines are actually within sight for each Intellicare and Avega members, ensuring they’re covered. Accessible and reasonably priced care may seem to be small steps, but they create a big effect,” Dr. Encarnacion added.
SureVax Animal Bite Center and Vaccination Services is a Philippine clinic chain providing reasonably priced, FDA-approved anti-rabies and anti-tetanus vaccines, while Intellicare is a number one HMO offering prevention-focused healthcare, and Avega Managed Care, Inc. is the country’s first specialized Third-Party Administrator (TPA) and the Best Performing HMO in 2023.
SureVax’s inclusion in Intellicare and Avega’s provider networks marks a big milestone as they turn into the corporate’s first HMO partners. The event comes as SureVax continues to expand its standalone clinics nationwide to satisfy the growing demand for rabies post-exposure services.
Beyond immediate access, the partnership sets a precedent for the way HMOs and specialized community-based providers can collaborate to deal with endemic public health threats reminiscent of rabies.
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