“Safe Motherhood and “Buntis” Congress Hot Mama and Cool Papa”

by ERNESTO T. SOLIDUM

The weekly Kapihan forum on March 26, 2011 featured two active health organizations: GO and NGO working in partnership. The guests from the Provincial Health Office (PHO) are Dr. Vic A. Santamaria, Chief – PHO; Ms. Nuella P. Zaldivar – Health Educ. Prom. Officer; Ms. Marissa M. Carillo – Coordinator, Maternal Child Health; Ms. Sonia M. David – Coord. Garantisadong Pambata (GP); Ms. Criscini S. Roxas – Coord. Nutrition; and Ms. Belia R. Villaruel – Coord., Expanded Prog. On Immunization.

Abante Aklan, Inc. (AAI), an affiliate of World Vision is represented by Dr. Cornelio Cuachon, Jr. chairman, Bd. Of Trustees, and Ms. Maryana Zamora, Comm. Specialist, Western Visayas.

Dr. Santamaria said that GP is an annual event sponsored by PHO to promote health advocacy programs. It targets mothers on maternal health and children against common but preventable diseases like measles, dipteria, polio, tetanus, Hepa B, TB, and pertusis. The GP is committed to implement the theme, "Iligtas sa Tigdas and Pinas" that targets children 9 months to below 8 years.

The renewed effort is to reduce the prevalence of measles cases in the country reaching 6,200 to zero in 2012. Viral diseases compounded by climate change are responsible for complication like bronchopneumonia, malnutrition, blindness, and others. This year, a door to door immunization campaign will be conducted by doctors, nurses, and midwives from April 4 to May 4, 2011 in all 327 barangays of Aklan.

Ms. Zaldivar discussed the maternal health program on promotion of Safe Motherhood and "Buntis" Congress – "Hot Mama and Cool Papa". It will feature 30 couples from 10 municipalities on March 30. Child Health launches the GP package on measles-rubella immunization in Altavas and Ibajay on April 4. The latter is crucial since fundings show that many missed children in previous immunization campaigns resulted to more deaths.

Dr. Cuachon averred that World Vision and AAI are operating in Aklan since 1999. More than 6000 children in the 64 barangays in six municipalities were benefited. They are in Tangalan, Nabas, Batan, Altavas, Madalag, and Malinao. The Canadian-based organization, a relief, development and advocacy group has five projects namely: a) Health Development breast-feeding, maternal health, nutrition and construction of sanitary privy, jetmatic pump, b) economic development, - backyard agriculture projects, micro financing and management, c) education – repair of physical facilities like tables and chairs, books d) sponsorship management – indigent children sent to schools, and e) leadership & governance. A total of one million pesos was released by the agency to target beneficiaries last year.

On April, 2 – 3 dubbed as "A Night of Hope and Lakbay Pag-asa" are forthcoming big events. The first is a dinner for cause where prospective donors are encouraged to support AAI programs, Lakbay Pag-asa is an emotion-filled event where sponsors and sponsored Aklanon child meet for the first time. Celebrity endorsers are Ms. Miriam Quiambao and Tippy dos Santos. Child sponsorship of a scholar entails a nominal P600 donation per month which is enough to bring hope and opportunity to someone in dire need.

However, the above activity done over a month period is a long and arduous process. One must consider road accessibility, terrain, weather conditions and availability of target children in the house for immunization shots. The most creative way is to invite Brgy. Captains to a conference in the Municipal Building to explain the rationale of the anti-measles campaign and schedule immunization by batches. Parents/guardians of target children must bring their wards to the nearest Barangay Health Center for periodic shots against the seven deadly diseases.

Operation Timbang, Pre-natal consultation and handing of tracts/leaflets about breastfeeding, family planning and film documentary showing on various health programs are additional features.

Malnutrition continues to plague depressed municipalities like Tangalan, Nabas, and Libacao. This is very appalling when rural communities are blessed with abundant space for growing fruits and vegetables, and the raising of poultry and livestock.

It is time for Filipinos to learn valuable lessons from the recent disaster of earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear fallout in Japan. Dr. Oscar Tinio, Pres. of Phil. Medical Association said that his counterpart colleague from Japan firmly refused their offer of medical aid. It is both amazing and incredible that culture of Japanese discipline and resiliency clearly shine through even in times of adversity.

Well, the Philippines has all the resources and the reasons in the world to work constructively in order to achieve self reliance and self sufficiency in food. There is no need for dole outs but to utilize our brain and brawn. Obviously, the roots of our poverty and unemployment are our negative appreciation of values. Pilipinos only work when they are paid like the colonial servants’ mentality. Pilipinos nurture the idea that money, happiness and hope are of being employed in the distant shores when they are found in the doorstep.

As per estimate, Japan needs $303 billion to rebuild her damaged cities, but Prime Minister Naoto Kan does not consider foreign aid except for humanitarian cases. Really, a developed nation behaves differently than a developing country like the Philippines. However, at issue is positive cultural values which we have enough but only pay lip service to it.

PHO is fortunate to have World Vision – Abante Aklan, Inc. as responsible partners for its primary health care advocacy. Core objectives are the UN Millennium Development goals to cut down maternal and neonatal deaths, and malnutrition by half of existing rate in year 2015. Some women groups like Gabriela, Civil Society, Non-Government Institutions, Medical Professional Assn. and Grassroots Women’s Organizations are supporting Reproductive Health (RH) bill No. 4244 in the 14th Congress. This is a welcome sign that RH is gaining momentum.

It is common biological knowledge that life begins only from the onset of fertilization and all forms of family planning techniques never violate procreation. The bill encourages sustainable and healthy human population based on responsible parenthood and desirable lifestyle. Where is freedom of choice when you are practically limited to natural family planning? In order to be fair, this must be comprehensive, both natural and artificial. This belief must be appreciated by the individual families for them to decide based on merits and efficacy of methods. Certainly, this issue must be decided jointly by the State and society including the policy as to the number of children to have per family. There is a need to have an open and unbiased discussion because it has profound effect on our present and future generation. /MP