By Leilani S. Junio
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan, March 15 (PNA) — Parental education in improving mother’s poor health-seeking behavior is an important aspect in the prevention of maternal mortality rate (MMR) and infant mortality rate IMR).
“Parents must be educated or trained to ensure that safety, health and hygiene of the family is included in their lifestyle,” Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Isabelle “Beng” Climaco said in an interview with the Philippines News Agency (PNA) during her participation in the three-day Leadership and Governance Program held recently at the Asturias Hotel in this city.
The mayor cited that behind maternal and death rates, the top reason is due to some parents’ poor-seeking health behavior which the Zamboanga City government is trying to address through continuous parental education.
She said that as a way of addressing the problem, they are engaging some people in the community who know how to speak “Samal” to encourage the mothers to utilize the birthing facilities in the city.
“You see, Zamboanga is purely heteregenous… We are not all Christians, some are Muslims… What happens is there is a mixture of different beliefs which contribute to the increase of MMR because some mothers do not go to health centers and they would rather look for an ‘albularyo’ (herbalist),” said Climaco.
According to her, Zamboanga City is one of the largest cities in Mindanao with around 800,000 to 900,000 population in 98 barangays.
She explained that as a way of dealing with the problem, they are putting emphasis on the need for some mothers to fully understand that there are dangers in not going to a birthing facility, especially if the pregnancy condition is critical.
She noted that some parents’ negative way of rearing their children must also be influenced or changed into positive ones to avoid infant deaths and even a simple case of child malnutrition.
As an example, she cited that some parents even bring their children in going fishing in the seas, thus depriving the children of proper nutrition and inducing dehydration at the same time.
Mayor Climaco cited the importance of seminars to teach parents to remove and correct their poor health-seeking behavior.
At present, as a way of addressing this problem, the local barangay health workers are reaching out to those parents and providing them with healthful advice while administering the necessary vaccination shots for the babies.
The mayor said it helps that those parents benefiting under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) are also given some lectures under the Family Development Session (FDS) programs on rearing their children.
She added that as a way to reduce MMR, the “hilot” (traditional midwives) in the city are encouraged to undergo training for safe delivery of babies.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), it is important for a pregnant mother to be aware beforehand which health facility (e.g. lying-in clinic, birthing center, or hospital) she plans to give birth in.
The DOH discourages giving birth at home to prevent MMR and IMR in case complications arise.
At present, one of the specific strategies to help provinces, cities and municipalities to reduce MMR and IMR is the construction of more health facilities through the DOH’s Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFCP).
Local government units (LGUs) are responsible in issuing policies and ordinances that would support the use of these facilities.
Other strategies include a partnership between the DOH and Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) launched two years ago to help lower maternal deaths.
In addition, mothers are reminded to get adequate pre-natal care which includes management of anemia, monitoring of blood pressure, and identification of other health problems like diabetes during pregnancy.
For very poor or indigents parents, they can avail of the PhilHealth (Philippine Health Insurance Corporation) membership for free given by the national government through the DSWD or the LGUs.
Through the PhilHealth coverage, birthing expenses of the mothers are addressed. (PNA)