Mom, kid health care strengthened

FACILITIES and health workers catering to the needs of pregnant women and their children will get needed upgrading in hopes of reaching the Millennium Development Goals of reducing maternal and infant deaths by 2015.

In partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), the Department of Health aims to reduce the 75 per 100,000 live births maternal mortality rate to at least 52 deaths and 20 infant deaths per 1,000 live births to 17 deaths by 2015.

Dr. Makoto Tobe, project chief advisor of the Jica-funded project, stressed these goals can be reached through improvement of health facilities to accommodate pregnant women and prevent complications during or after delivery.

Tobe saud children delivered inside facilities have greater chances of survival with timely care offered with equipped facilities and trained health professionals.

The project identified Abra, Apayao and Benguet health facilities and professional as beneficiaries of the project as Tobe explained their limited budget made them prioritize which facility will get the upgrade.

However, he said they will also provide materials and trainings to other provinces aside from Abra, Apayao and Benguet.

With the project, the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center and some 14 hospitals, 20 rural health units and 69 barangay health stations in the three provinces will now give better birthing services as they receive P15 million worth of equipment.

Some 108 health professionals composed of doctors, nurses and midwives rendering service in birthing facilities will also receive P3 million worth of training in Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn care.

Zenailda Patal-e, Maternal and Neonatal Child Health coordinator of DOH-Cordillera, said Jica will also conduct further activities to improve healthcare professional services with trainings in Japan for several Cordillera health workers.

She added the DOH will start issuing a family health diary through community health teams and rural health units monitor the health record of mothers and children to ensure they remain on track in their goal of finally reducing maternal and infant mortality in the region.