5th emergency maternal and newborn care center opened in Olongapo City
Officials of Olongapo City inaugurated Tuesday the fifth Basic Emergency Obstetric Care and Newborn Care (BEMONC) center here that will provide high-risk pregnant mothers with adequate and affordable emergency delivery service.
"This project aims to help further reduce maternal mortality, one of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), by providing emergency birth delivery services even for cases in areas far from Olongapo City's center," said City Vice Mayor Cynthia Cajudo who was guest of honor during the inauguration.
Olongapo City's latest PhP2.5-million BEMONC center is located in Barangay Barretto, a village where some 30,000 people reside.
Among the facilities the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) donated to this center are a suction machine, delivery table, infant weighing scale and minor surgical kit.
"These facilities can help bring about safer deliveries," said UNFPA City Project Coordinator Bel Dado.
She noted UNFPA also donated similar facilities to the city's other BEMONC centers in Kalaklan, Kababae, New Cabalan and Gordon Heights villages.
City health chief Dr. Arnildo Tamayo lauded Barangay Barretto's officials for establishing the center as he said this village is about 20 minutes' drive from the city center where the 350-bed James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital (JLGMH) is.
"In ensuring safe motherhood, time is of the essence," he said.
According to Tamayo, a 24-hour patrol group of doctors will be on hand at Barretto BEMONC to assess if emergency deliveries can be done there or if these must be referred to more advanced health facilities like the JLGMH.
"We had doctors train in Metro Manila so they can assess cases," he said.
Members of government's health insurance program can avail of the center's services at PhP4,500 per normal delivery.
"This is only half of the PhP9,000 other health facilities charge," Tamayo noted.
He also said indigent pregnant mothers will pay only PhP1,500 per delivery at the center.
Olongapo City's maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is lower than the national average government reported for 2006.
Dado said the city's MMR is 40 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births or an average of two deaths annually.
National Statistics Office reported in its 2006 Family Planning Survey the Philippines' average MMR then reached 162 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, however.
"This is higher than ratios in other Southeast Asian countries," Dado noted.
She also said Olongapo City's MMR is already lower than the 52 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births MDG target ratio the country aims to hit by 2015.
Establishing Barretto BEMONC is in line with Olongapo City's Ordinance 59 which calls for providing high-risk pregnant mothers with adequate and affordable basic emergency obstetric and newborn care.
The city's Sangguniang Panlungsod approved such ordinance last November 5. (By Catherine J. Teves - PNA)
"This project aims to help further reduce maternal mortality, one of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), by providing emergency birth delivery services even for cases in areas far from Olongapo City's center," said City Vice Mayor Cynthia Cajudo who was guest of honor during the inauguration.
Olongapo City's latest PhP2.5-million BEMONC center is located in Barangay Barretto, a village where some 30,000 people reside.
Among the facilities the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) donated to this center are a suction machine, delivery table, infant weighing scale and minor surgical kit.
"These facilities can help bring about safer deliveries," said UNFPA City Project Coordinator Bel Dado.
She noted UNFPA also donated similar facilities to the city's other BEMONC centers in Kalaklan, Kababae, New Cabalan and Gordon Heights villages.
City health chief Dr. Arnildo Tamayo lauded Barangay Barretto's officials for establishing the center as he said this village is about 20 minutes' drive from the city center where the 350-bed James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital (JLGMH) is.
"In ensuring safe motherhood, time is of the essence," he said.
According to Tamayo, a 24-hour patrol group of doctors will be on hand at Barretto BEMONC to assess if emergency deliveries can be done there or if these must be referred to more advanced health facilities like the JLGMH.
"We had doctors train in Metro Manila so they can assess cases," he said.
Members of government's health insurance program can avail of the center's services at PhP4,500 per normal delivery.
"This is only half of the PhP9,000 other health facilities charge," Tamayo noted.
He also said indigent pregnant mothers will pay only PhP1,500 per delivery at the center.
Olongapo City's maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is lower than the national average government reported for 2006.
Dado said the city's MMR is 40 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births or an average of two deaths annually.
National Statistics Office reported in its 2006 Family Planning Survey the Philippines' average MMR then reached 162 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, however.
"This is higher than ratios in other Southeast Asian countries," Dado noted.
She also said Olongapo City's MMR is already lower than the 52 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births MDG target ratio the country aims to hit by 2015.
Establishing Barretto BEMONC is in line with Olongapo City's Ordinance 59 which calls for providing high-risk pregnant mothers with adequate and affordable basic emergency obstetric and newborn care.
The city's Sangguniang Panlungsod approved such ordinance last November 5. (By Catherine J. Teves - PNA)
Labels: bemoc, jlgmh, Olongapo City, tamayo, unfpa
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
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