Saturday, September 29, 2007
Midwives in Cebu getting fewer
MIDWIVES prefer work-ing as caregivers abroad, leaving a void in the local midwifery that must be filled.
This is the sentiment of the officers and board-members of the Cebu Puericulture Center and Maternity House Inc., which is celebrating its 85th year.
The officers lamented the fast turnover of midwives at the Maternity.
“We really need a lot of midwives to handle deliveries because the turnover is so fast, people just want to go abroad,” said Dr. Iris Jakosalem, secretary of the Cebu Women’s Club, the organization behind maternity.
Dr. Milagros Chan, a member of the board, noted that 50 percent of Filipino deliveries are done by untrained attendants.
The hospital accommodates at least 12,000 births a year but there are only 35 graduates from midwifery a year, and most of
them want to go abroad.
Enough staff
But the hospital has enough staff to serve especially indigent patients, assured Dr. Raida Varona, the hospital’s medical director.
The Department of Health (DOH) has since encouraged birthing only at health facilities, usually attended by midwives.
While there was a time when DOH allowed home deliveries by a skilled birth attendant, the agency discovered that this did not decrease maternal mortality rate.
According to DOH, 70 percent of births were delivered at home.
Maternity encouraged more students to take up midwifery, a form of public service.
Maternity caters to low-cost deliveries and a number of charity cases.
Maternity has also come a long way in 85 years.
Dr. Ellen Chavez, a member of the board of trustees, explained that in 1918, the Cebu Women’s Club was formed.
On Sept. 30, 1922, the group shaped the Cebu Puericulture and Maternity House. Puericulture pertains to mother and child care.
It was then that a 10-bed facility was established at the Fort San Pedro. Now, Maternity is a 75-bed hospital along B. Rodriguez St., Cebu City.
As part of its anniversary celebration, the hospital offered free pre-natal and papsmear services yesterday. (JGA)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (September 29, 2007 issue)
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