Catbalogan endorses ordinance on maternal, child health

By Ninfa Iluminda B. Quirante

Monday 16th of July 2012

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, July 16 (PIA) -- The Catbalogan City Health Office (CHO) endorsed the ordinance on Maternal and Child Health Code in a committee meeting and public hearing at the Sangguniang Bayan session hall in Catbalogan City on July 10.

City Councilor Stephany Uy-Tan led the committee meeting and public hearing as the committee chairman on maternal and child health care. SB Members, CHO health officers, birthing facility attendants, midwives and the media attended the hearing.

Local governments are mandated to provide efficient and effective basic service and facilities that will upgrade the quality of community life that includes health and social welfare programs on primary health care, maternal and child health care, and welfare of the youth, women, and families.

“The ordinance specifically aims to provide high quality maternal and child health care to mothers and their newborn babies,” city health officer Dr. Gerarda Tizon said.

Human development indicators in the city suggest a need to immediately address the gaps in maternal and child health where there is a maternal mortality rate of 148 out of 100,000 and infant mortality rate of 13.37. Reports say that the majority of deliveries were performed by "hilots (local midwives)" and some trained birth attendants at home.

The objectives of the ordinance is to reduce maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality by expressly prohibiting and penalizing home birth deliveries; give financial, moral, social, and technical support to expectant mothers and their families during prenatal, antenatal, and post-natal period.

The ordinance also includes encouraging community involvement in providing support to the mother and the newborn and achieving financial sustainability and viability in the operation of birthing facility through PhilHealth financing.

Article II, Section 4 of the ordinance stated that the Maternal and Child Health Program should include birthing facilities, community health team, facility-based delivery, skilled birth attendant, normal delivery, basic emergency obstetric, and newborn care (Benonc) facility and no balance billing policy.

Tizon said, “CHO at present has already five units of birthing facility and it is ready for use any time.”

Tizon said CHO is also giving incentives to those “hilots” and trained birth attendants who will bring patients to their birthing facility.

Section 13-A states that any person, particularly traditional birth attendants, who will intentionally handle, assist, aid and/or manage home birth delivery of pregnant women shall, after conviction by a proper court, be meted with penalties.

First offense will constitute a warning; second offense means a fine of P500 or rendition of community work for eight hours for two days at the discretion of the court; third offense sets a fine of P1,000 or rendition of community work for eight hours a day at the discretion of the court.

Section 13-B said pregnant women intentionally committing home birth delivery shall, after conviction by a proper court, be meted also with penalties.

The first-time offender will be meted a reprimand; for a second offense, the fine will be P2,000; and the third offense will be meted with P3,000 fine.

Tizon said that the purpose of these penalties is not for the additional income of the city but for them to learn the importance of the birthing facility. (EOT/NBQ-PIA8 Samar with Avha H. Ebalde)