Pregnant women get anti-malaria kits

BANGUED, Abra -- More than 1,000 pregnant women in the province received anti-malaria kits and pregnancy packages distributed by the provincial health office.

For almost two months, the group led by Lilibeth Martin, provincial coordinator for malaria control program, and the provincial nutrition council, headed by Dr. Leona Beroña, went to the various municipalities to distribute the kits and pregnancy packages.

The kits contained long lasting insecticide-treated mosquito net (LLIN), ferros sulphate (iron supplements), albendazole (de-worming tablet), and a mother and baby book.

Martin stressed despite the absence of malaria cases in the province of Abra for the past five years now, the activity is a preventive measure for pregnant women and their families especially in promoting mother and child safety. She said pregnant women belong to the vulnerable groups easily attacked by malaria mosquitoes.

The project is a joint undertaking of the Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) and the Global Fund through the Filipinas Shell Foundation, Inc.

Meanwhile, Beroña said they have to look after the welfare of the pregnant women more seriously in order to decrease the cases of mother and child morbidity and mortality in the province.

Beroña further reminded the mothers the benefits and advantages of breastfeeding on the health and safety of the infants as well as the mothers especially during the first two years of the child. She said breastfeeding boosts the immune system of the infant and protects them from bacterial infections. On the part of the mother, breastfeeding had been proven as a natural method of birth spacing. (Maria Teresa Beñas)

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