Friday, September 19, 2008 Mothers' lack of concern still a big challenge
(First of Two Parts)
THE indifference of mothers in availing of the services of professional and skilled birth attendants remain one of the major concerns health workers have to deal with.
Dr. Amelita Pangilinan of the Department of Health (DOH) said the difficulty of convincing mothers to seek pre-natal and post-natal care, including their lack of willingness to avail of the services of skilled birth workers remain the challenge the health agency is facing in its bid to prevent maternal death.
Pangilinan said several mothers still do not understand the significance of seeking the assistance of health workers during their pregnancy, delivery and post-delivery.
The Cordillera region recorded 25 maternal deaths last year, higher than the 19 recorded in 2006.
"CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region) is not among the top 10 regions with high maternal deaths but this does not make us complacent. We are still emphasizing the importance of maternal health care," she said.
Region-wide, 60 percent of mothers giving birth are attended by skilled health workers, while 40 percent avail of the services of traditional birth attendants.
Pangilinan said 11 percent of pregnant women in the region do not seek pre-natal care.
She said most mothers, especially those who did not experience complications during their first pregnancies often refer to this as their basis in saying they do not need to seek maternal care from health workers and accredited facilities.
Pangilinan admitted some women develop trauma from giving birth in hospitals, including among others the lack of compassion of workers towards their patients.
Aside from this, the accessibility of health care facilities bugs the mothers from availing of professional health care.
"These concerns are being addressed by the DOH. In fact, the attitudinal change among our health care providers is one of the focuses of our health sector reform program," she said.
The identification of Geographically Isolated and Depressed Areas (Gida) has also become a strategy of the DOH to bring health care closer to the people.
From these identified Gida, the DOH would establish strategic health facilities that would provide immediate and emergency response to pregnant mothers.
Pangilinan said mothers who prefer to deliver their babies at home but would call professional or skilled workers to attend to them, is an accepted practice.
Health workers are underscoring the importance of the presence of skilled birth attendants to ensure that pregnancy-related and post-natal complications are detected immediately to save lives.
In Baguio City, birthing clinics are put up in remote barangays. Purificacion Cerna, a nurse at the Baguio Health Department, said the agency has standby midwives who are on- call for mothers who would prefer giving birth at home.
The birthing units in the barangays serve as alternatives to hospitals, except for pregnancies that are complicated and risky.
Maternal health care is being pushed among women, including those who are still planning their pregnancies.
