P414-M EU fund set for IPs child, maternal health

A TOTAL of 7 million euro or P414.25 million was allotted by the European Union for the implementation of the Indigenous Peoples (IP) Maternal Neonatal and Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) here in Mindanao.

Implementing agencies for the said project which aims to address the health needs of indigenous and disadvantaged communities is the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

John Izard, Team Leader IP MNCHN Project Mindanao Technical Assistance Team, speaking in the Kapehan sa PIA held at the Regency Inn Friday that they want to make the general population and the politicians aware “of the plight of IPs in terms of health, maternal and child health issues and to seek redress.”

The project, according to him, is focusing on five IP communities: Subanen from Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur; Matigsalug-Manobo from Kitaotao, Bukidnon; Arumanen-Manobo from Carmen, North Cotabato; Banwaon and Talaandig from San Luis, Agusan del Sur and Dibabawon Mangguangan from Montevista, Compostela Valley for Davao Region.

The baseline data from a study conducted to the five said IP communities, as cited by Izard showed that 95 percent of the delivery of the IP mothers were done by traditional birthing attendant or hilot while deliveries done by skilled birth attendants or doctors and midwives were only less than 1 percent.

“The difference of 3.8 percent was for no one in attendance at all no one and that is the average for the five ancestral domains,” Izard said.

The Indigenous People’s Baseline Demographic Survey was done in 2013 with a total of 1,531 household respondents from the five IP communities.

Furthermore, Dr. Lilibeth Malabanan, Project Director IP MNCHN and NCIP head invited everyone to the “Dalan sa Kalambuan” today which will be a theater play by the Matigsalog youth in line with the celebration of the International IP day.

They also had a two-day photo exhibit at the City Council lobby which featured the indigenous health and culture.

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