Thursday, April 17, 2008 Media dared to help end maternal deaths in RP
THE media is not only the "roaring voice" of the society but now also the "maternal guard" of every woman.
The United Nations Family Planning Fund (UNFPA) challenged members of the media to advocate women's health in order to decrease the number of deaths due to pregnancy.
"The media can help in preventing maternal deaths," said Suneeta Mukherjee, country representative of UNFPA.
According to data provided by the UNFPA, of 5.1 million pregnancies in the Philippines, half are unwanted, a third of that number end up in abortions and 4,000 mothers die.
Mukherjee said the main causes of abortion related deaths are: post partum hemorrhage; hypertension; and other complications.
These data are enough reason to alarm government and the non-government organizations (NGOs) to move against the problem and prevent more deaths.
Mukherjee said media practitioners should write stories about maternal deaths including the background of the victim and conducting research on a possible way to prevent the cause of death. She said 90 percent of maternal deaths are preventable.
The Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health and Welfare Incorporated (PNGOC), the Alliance of Media Advocates (Tama) and the UNFPA are working hand-in-hand in promoting programs that could help in preventing maternal death in the country through conducting conferences on reproductive health to extend in every couple the knowledge of proper family planning. These organizations are conducting conferences every month in Cotabato City, Bohol, Sultan Kudarat, Masbate and for the first time here in Baguio. (AAU)
