public health physician delivering equitable, tech-driven healthcare to remote and underserved communities
Dr. Samantha Florendo Tinsay is a Filipino physician, public health leader, and lifestyle medicine specialist who served as the Municipal Health Officer of the rural island municipality of Bantayan, Cebu, Philippines. She is widely recognized for her pioneering work in bringing essential healthcare services to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), particularly through innovative approaches to tuberculosis (TB) control, health systems reform, and digital health. Her work has received national and international recognition, highlighting her leadership in public health and commitment to health equity.
about
Dr. Tinsay was raised between Manila and Los Angeles, where a multicultural upbringing nurtured her passion for public service and global health. While volunteering in Ecuador, she saw firsthand how community-based care could transform lives, an experience that shaped her path in medicine. Today, she is a public health physician in the Philippines, leading efforts to expand access to accesible, quality, and equitable healthcare in remote & underserved communities. Her work is rooted in the belief that innovative, compassionate care should reach everyone, no matter where they live.
pioneering public health innovation
Dr. Samantha Tinsay is a trailblazing public health leader who has transformed healthcare delivery in Cebu. She pioneered the first Electronic Health Records system in Region 7, enabling data-driven decision-making in support of Universal Health Care. As a staunch advocate for TB eradication, she spearheaded the use of artificial intelligence and mobile molecular diagnostics to reach underserved populations. Through innovative public-private partnerships and governance reforms, she expanded healthcare access and championed health equity ordinances to ensure no one is left behind.
- Digital Health for UHCLed Bantayan, Cebu to become the first LGU in Central Visayas to implement an Electronic Health Records (EHR) system in support of Universal Health Care (UHC). By linking digital health records with localized health funding strategies, she enabled more efficient service delivery and accountability. Under her leadership, Bantayan was recognized by PhilHealth as a top-performing LGU in Cebu Province for Konsulta claims implementation, demonstrating excellence in both innovation and results-driven UHC rollout.
- AI for TB EradicationEstablished a pioneering One-Stop Shop for Tuberculosis in Bantayan, integrating artificial intelligence and mobile molecular testing to bring diagnostics directly to communities. This innovative approach allows same-day diagnosis, treatment initiation, and access to preventive care, all in one visit. The model significantly increased TB case detection and improved treatment compliance, setting a new standard for accessible, patient-centered TB care in rural settings.
- Advocacy and OutreachChampioned a proactive approach to health through regular barangay outreach, patient home visits, and the creation of Cebu’s first LGU-managed Lifestyle Medicine Program. Centered on nutrition and exercise, the program empowers communities to prevent disease rather than rely on cure. Her grassroots efforts have brought personalized care closer to the people and fostered long-term health habits that address the root causes of chronic illness.
- Improved Health OutcomesThrough Dr. Tinsay's leadership in systematic health reform, Bantayan achieved significant improvements in health outcomes, streamlining services, strengthening governance, and ensuring equitable access to care. As a result, the Department of Health recognized Bantayan as one of the Best Local Health Systems in Central Visayas for three consecutive years, a testament to her commitment to sustainable, high-impact healthcare delivery.
speaking with purpose
When local impact meets international awareness. Video presentations & interviews featuring Dr. Tinsay
Braving storms & typhoons Dr Samantha takes Artificial intelligence backed TB tests to the unreached
Ending TB one 'Barangay' at a time: New decentralised & point-of-care tools making a difference
Dr Samantha Tinsay's talk on the HIV & TB Program of Bantayan, Cebu
Frontline story: Detecting TB in Cebu Philippines using point-of-care & decentralised molecular test
Dr. Tinsay featured on Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS)
Dr. Tinsay with Alan Domingo on GMA Regional News
TB sa Pilipinas: Dr. Samantha Tinsay interviewed on UNTV News
recognition and impact
Highlighting Dr. Tinsay's national and international recognition in public health innovation and health equity through awards, publications, speaking engagements, and notable accomplishments.
- AwardsRecognized for her outstanding contributions to public health. Under her leadership, Bantayan was awarded by the Department of Health as one of the Best Local Health Systems in Central Visayas for three consecutive years. She also received top honors from PhilHealth for exceptional implementation of the Konsulta program in Cebu Province. Her innovative and people-centered approach to healthcare continues to earn her recognition as a transformative leader in the field.
- PublicationsContributed to public health literature through publications focused on health systems strengthening, tuberculosis control innovations, and digital health integration in rural settings. Her work showcases practical, scalable strategies for Universal Health Care implementation, with particular emphasis on equity, technology, and community-based models. These contributions reflect her commitment to evidence-based policymaking and her role as a thought leader in local health system reform.
- National & International PresentationsRepresented Bantayan’s health innovations on national and international platforms, sharing insights on tuberculosis eradication, digital health systems, and Universal Health Care implementation. She has delivered presentations at major conferences and forums, highlighting community-driven, tech-enabled approaches to rural health. Her contributions have positioned Bantayan as a model for health reform and showcased how local leadership can drive global impact.
- Notable AccomplishmentsTransformed Bantayan into a model of innovation and equity in public health. She pioneered the first LGU-based Electronic Health Records system in Region VII and introduced AI-assisted TB screening with mobile molecular diagnostics, bringing life-saving services to remote island communities. Through strategic governance reforms, health equity ordinances, and public-private partnerships, she expanded access to diagnostics, treatment, and preventive care. Her holistic, community-based approach has improved outcomes, earned regional recognition, and positioned Bantayan as a replicable model for rural health system strengthening.
presenting ideas that matter
Advocating for public health reform.
Recent national & international conference presentations featuring Dr. Tinsay
Recent national & international conference presentations featuring Dr. Tinsay
- Clinton Health Access Initiative and the Gates Foundation (Online, Mar. 2025)Dr. Tinsay was invited to present the following topic: Scale-up & Implementation of TB Screening Using AI & Ultra-portable Chest X-ray in Bantayan, Cebu in an online symposium hosted by CHAI & the Gates Foundation. She was the only representative for the Philippines.
- The Union Conference on Lung Health in Bali, Indonesia (Nov. 2024)Dr. Tinsay represented the Philippines and presented her first-hand experience utilizing a "one-stop shop approach" in diagnosing and treating TB. She was part of the Community Connect session entitled: Community leadership is building power and driving #FindAllTB → #TreatAllTB → #PreventAllTB →
#EndTB initiative in high TB burden countries (Philippines) - 7th International TB Symposium in Seoul, South Korea (Nov. 2024)Dr. Tinsay was the sole Filipino representative invited by the Korean National Tuberculosis Asssociation and Stop TB Partnership Korea to present her implementation of TB best practices in Bantayan, Cebu. She was a speaker in the panel entitled: Strategies, Experiences, and Impact Assessment of Introducing Innovative Technologies in the National
TB Program in Asian High-Burden TB Countries (Philippines) - 30th Philippine Coalition Against TB Conference in Manila, Philippines (Aug. 2024)Dr. Tinsay was a panelist speaker in a symposium with Molbio Diagnostics at the PhilCAT Conference entitled: Find All TB to Stop TB in the Philippines; Screen and Diagnose Early at the Patient's Doorstep
- United Against TB Conference in Goa, India (May 2024)Dr. Tinsay was invited to speak about her experience with implementing a USAID driven TB project in a panel entitled: Country examples and success stories from implementation of iNTP (the introducing New Tools Project – iNTP of Stop TB Partnership and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
- Stop TB Partnership, AI Radiology Innovations Implementers’ Exchange in Manila, Philippines (Mar. 2024)Dr. Tinsay was invited by the Stop TB Partnership to present her experience as one of the earliest implementer's of the USAID pilot Introducing New Tools Project in the Philippines. Her talk was entitled: Reaching the Unreachable: One Stop Approach for TB Program Implementation in Bantayan, Cebu.
documenting change, inspiring action
Amplifying health through every platform.
News and media articles featuring Dr. Tinsay
News and media articles featuring Dr. Tinsay
- Citizen News"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has,” had said the famous anthropologist Margaret Mead. Bearing testimony to this, a small group of people in Bantayan Municipality of Cebu, Philippines, has changed the lives of many people affected by tuberculosis (TB).
- LGU Bantayan, CebuSa Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) nahisgutan ang pagpalapad sa programa sa PhilHealth Konsulta para sa mga Bantayanon pinaagi sa Rural Health Unit pinangulohan ni Dr. Samantha Tinsay.
- ReliefWebDr Samantha Tinsay, Municipal Health Officer, Bantayan Municipality, Cebu, Philippines shared few of the recommendations of the Goa Declaration in the AIDS 2024 Affiliated Independent Event on TB and HIV: Wider scale up of the pilots of introducing new tools project (iNTP) of Stop TB Partnership and USAID that have shown impact in terms of finding more TB cases and linking them to care in a time bound manner.
- Citizen News2024 Union Conference on Lung Health in Bali, Indonesia, had a special Community Connect session on 15th November (9am, Singaraja) on the theme: "Community leadership is building power and driving #FindAllTB → #TreatAllTB → #PreventAllTB → #EndTB initiative in high TB burden countries." Dr. Samantha Tinsay represented her country, the Philippines, as one of the panelist speakers.
- Eurasia ReviewBraving inclement weather and carrying these new innovative diagnostic tools for TB in moulded plastic tubs, Dr Samantha Tinsay, the Municipal Health Officer of Bantayan, leads her team from islet to islet on pump boats, to screen and diagnose people with TB. She was speaking at a session in the world’s largest TB and lung disease conference this year (Union World Conference on Lung Health in Indonesia 2024).
- Walk With A DocWalk with a Doc Bantayan was started in December 2023 by Dr. Samantha Tinsay, a walking program for everyone interested in taking steps for a healthier lifestyle. Every 1st or 2nd Saturday of the month, you’ll take a few minutes to learn about a current health topic from a healthcare professional, then spend the rest of the hour enjoying a healthy walk and fun conversation. This was adapted from Dr. David Sabgir's program in the USA. It’s a great way to get out, get active, and enjoy all the benefits that come from walking.
- Mabuhay NewsDr. Samantha Tinsay, Municipal Health Officer of Bantayan, Cebu, said that one of the challenges is the geographical location being an island town in Cebu province. Bantayan, with 25 Barangay health centers, is the first in the country to have an electronic health records such that it has the highest consultant claims of P15 million from PhilHealth making it the highest in the Central Visayas Region.
- MedIndiaOn 29 October 2022, Tropical Storm Nalgae, locally known as Paeng, hit the Philippines, and affected around 4.8 million people within a week. On that fateful day, Dr. Samantha Tinsay and her team were en route to one of the islets with the diagnostics tools in tow. “We did not know that a storm signal had been raised, and that nobody should be travelling or working as we were out of the range of mobile signal. Nevertheless, rain or sunshine, we were working and could not have stopped as patients were already waiting at the clinic,” said the spirited Dr. Tinsay.
- Scoop New ZealandDr Samantha Tinsay, Municipal Health Officer, Bantayan Municipality in Cebu, Philippines shared how Truenat molecular test machines, along with Fujifilm portable x-ray, were kept in a plastic tub and taken in a utility boat from islet to islet to screen and diagnose people with TB. “Case detection went up by over 317% and screening of presumptive TB went up by 1293%,” said Dr Tinsay. It is not difficult to imagine the huge positive public health outcomes if what Dr Tinsay have done in a limited manner was done on a larger scale in all high TB burden countries. What is holding us back from doing so?
- Hastakshep NewsWhen Dr Samantha Tinsay embarked on her journey to find TB with new tools in September 2022, extreme climate events- such as typhoons and storms- compounded the challenge. But it was sheer determination on her and her team’s part to hop on a pump boat and brave the storms and typhoons to go from islet to islet and find TB, treat TB and prevent TB.
- Christian Post“My message to the world leaders at the UNHLM on TB is to fully support technology and new tools for case detection and for TB management. We have willing healthcare workers, such as me and my team in the field, who are willing to deploy these new tools for TB effectively. I do not want to see any person die of TB. By bringing point-of-care and decentralised molecular testing at their doorstep, we can help end TB,” said Dr Samantha Tinsay, Municipal Health Officer, Bantayan Municipality, Cebu, Philippines.
- Lauren Johnson“We escaped in a small fisherman’s boat,” Samantha remembered. “The rain was pouring hard while the waves entered our boat… the motor even died a few times. We were lucky that we got out because the next day when Yolanda hit, the island was almost completely wiped out.” Samantha’s narrow escape inspired her to partner up with the Cebu Doctors’ University College of Medicine to found Heal the Hurting, a project dedicated to providing direct relief to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda.
sharing solutions, shaping systems
Data to decisions, policy to people.
Academic publications written by Dr. Tinsay
Academic publications written by Dr. Tinsay
- For Publication, 2026Tuberculosis prevention in Asia and the Pacific (2015-2025): A Qualitative Synthesis ReviewJops, P, Peprah P, Newland J, Tsogt B, Marks G, Triasih R, Prankumar S, Lestari T, Tinsay SF, Poga P, Graham S, and Kelly-Hanku A.
- Geographic rescue time contours, point-of-care strategies, and spatial care paths to prepare island communities for global warming, rising oceans, and weather disastersKost GJ, Füzéry AK, Caratao LKR, Tinsay SF, Zadran A, Ybañez AP
- Point-of-care testing, spatial care paths, and enhanced standards of care – preparing island communities for global warming and rising oceansKost GJ, Füzéry AK, Caratao LKR, Tinsay SF, Zadran A, Ybañez AP
- Levels of perceived stress and coping strategies of First to Third-year Medical StudentsTinsay SF, Bael HD, Ceniza LD, Dorado KL, Fernandez SJ, Lawas V, Lim EC. Mansueto TK, Serrano EE, Yap J
- Self-Inflicted injury & suicide in Orange County, CA, USATinsay SF, Singh G, Philips K, Nguyen A, Condon C
our partners
Dr. Samantha Tinsay’s work is powered by strong collaborations with dedicated partner organizations who share her vision of accessible, equitable healthcare. These partnerships have been instrumental in scaling sustainable, community-driven health solutions across the island.
Email: dr@samanthatinsay.com
Cebu, Philippines
