TANGUB CITY, Misamis Occidental (PIA)--To enhance local capacity in public health service delivery, particularly on women’s health and safe motherhood, Senator Pia Cayetano’s office, through Governor Henry Oaminal, in partnership with the City Government of Tangub, facilitated a seminar on Maternal and Child Health Care, July 26.

Some 275 participants included pregnant women, barangay health workers, city health workers, women's organizations, barangay nutrition scholars, and GADTC students.

This seminar aims to reduce maternal and child morbidity and mortality.

During the seminar, Dr. Vivian Eustaquio from the senator’s office served as a resource speaker and discussed the risk factors for pregnant women and the danger signs of pregnancy, teenage pregnancy, proper timing in vaccination and vitamin intake while pregnant, health care during labor and delivery, proper newborn and infant care, breastfeeding, and prenatal care to help women make informed decisions about their health.

Eustaquio emphasized the proper care method and what should be done during pregnancy to prevent maternal and child deaths.

She added that maternal mortality is high in the Philippines, as is infant mortality. Thus, they are preventing it from increasing, so it must decrease so that we can say that in our community, the city, and our country, the maternal death rate should be low so that

"Para matulungan natin 'yung nasa ibat-ibang lugar sa Pilipinas, ito 'yung isa sa advocacy ni Senator Pia Cayetano na magsagawa ng ganitong mga pagbibigay ng mga kaalaman para bumaba ito," she said.

(For us to help those in different areas in the Philippines, this is one of the advocacy efforts of Senator Pia Cayetano to carry out this kind of information giving so that it decreases)

She also shared the importance of regular prenatal check-ups and seeking medical attention immediately if any of the danger signs occur.

She explained that these risks can be addressed through effective family planning programs and services. Estaquio also mentioned the role of family support in ensuring a safe and healthy pregnancy for women.

The CHO expressed appreciation for the additional knowledge that the senator's group shared with the city's community health workers.

"Senator Pia, salamat nang marami sa pagbigay ng seminar sa maternal and child health care na naging daan din sa pag-refresh sa aming nalalaman. Malaking tulong din 'yun na malaman ng mga buntis para sa mga facility na dapat doon sila mangaganak, and we assured na tutulong kami sa mga nangangailangan lalo na sa kababaihan," City Health Sanitation Inspector Mary Ann Fiel said.

(Senator Pia, thank you very much for conducting the seminar on maternal and child health care, which has also been a way to refresh what we know. It is also a big help for pregnant women to know about the facilities where they should give birth, and we will be assured that we will help those in need, especially women)

The seminar is conducted in various provinces and towns in the country to raise women’s knowledge about pregnancy and safeguard their welfare and health, which is part of Cayetano’s advocacy. (SMRN/PIA-10/MisOcc)