Health care in remote barangay for indigenous women, children launched

PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, Oct. 11 (PIA) - Three birthing clinics/ Barangay Health Centers are set to be constructed in Barangay Binicalan, San Luis, this province to address the health needs of the lumads (indigenous people), specially women and children.

The program, according to Dr. Joel Espallardo, Senior Reproductive Health Specialist of the Department of Health (DOH), is funded by the European Union thru the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and is aimed to address the health and nutrition program of pregnant women, newly born babies and children.

“Our aim here is to give enough attention to the health needs of women, their new born babies and the children in Barangay Binicalan and other neighboring barangays, where our lumads like the Tagbuligan, Banwaon, Manobo, Talaandig and Adgawan live. That is why, this program called Indigenous Peoples Maternal Neonatal, Children Health and Nutrition (IP-MNCHN) project will be implemented,” said Dr. Espallardo.

According to data from San Luis Rural Health Unit, most of the pregnant women deliver their children at home, which causes high mortality among them, which were supposedly can be prevented. Aside from that, records also show that only 35 percent of the children were immunized in the area.

In order to address the issue, Atty. Elsie Alejandro of the NCIP said, three birthing clinics/ rural health units with complete facilities will be constructed in Barangay Binikalan to be manned by midwives so that the problem on the birth delivery of pregnant women, enough health care for the new born babies and the nutrition needs of children will be given enough attention and mortality during delivery will be eradicated.

“The IP-MNCHN will last until 2016 and funds will be coming from the European Union. Since this program is Mindanao-wide, together with Barangay Binikalan, the program will also start in Zamboanga del Sur, North Cotabato, Bukidnon and Compostela Valley province. The total fund set aside for this program for the five municipalities is P400 million, and we are lucky enough to be one of the recipients,” Atty. Alejandro said.

Since this program is one of the priorities of the provincial government of Agusan del Sur and the administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III, a ceremonial signing of manifesto of commitment were done between all the stakeholders spearheaded by Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza of Agusan del Sur, facilitated by Gilbert Pacificar, the provincial project coordinator. (DMS/PIO-Agusan del Sur/PIA-Agusan del Sur)