DavOr joins DOH in battle against infant and maternal mortality

DAVAO ORIENTAL– Aiming to attain the Millennium Development Goals of reducing maternal and infant mortality by 2015, the Department of Health Regional Office XI in partnership with the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental officially launched the Team D CHAMPS LAST January 13, 2015 at Honey’s Hotel, City of Mati this province.

Team D CHAMPS is a coalition created by DOH RO-XI that stands for Team Davao’s Coalition of Health Advocates for the Mothers’ and Infants’ Protection and Safety. This coalition was outlined upon Team D Coalition that signifies Davao Region’s Determination, Dedication and Direction towards its vision of zero infant and maternal mortality.

With the theme“Walang nanay at sanggol ang mamamatay dahil sa panganganak” (No Mother and Baby will die because of childbirth)  the launching ceremony was held in time for the Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center’s Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) Referral and Service Delivery Network Workshop.

MNCHN is an integrated strategy that will guide the development, implementation and evaluation of various programs of Local Government Units and other partners aimed at women, mothers and children with the ultimate goal of rapidly reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in the country.

Committed also in ensuring the health and well-being of every people in the Province, Dr. Resuldo D. Malintad, DOPMC Head calls the launching not just a celebration, but also an awareness campaign about the distressing maternal and infant mortality ratio every year. He said that the provincial government keeps on improving the deliveries of health services but the result indicates lesser impacts on the community level.

Upon the launching of Team D CHAMPS in the province, Dr. Malintad said that all guests and participants from different agencies and sectors of the society present are now called members of the coalition and implementers of the MNCHN strategies to inject desired impacts at grassroots level.

“The mortality rate ratio every year serves as a challenge to us not just on the health sector, but on everybody… that we have to focus our strength and resources not to reduce the rate but to have a zero casualty rate,” said Dr. Malintad adding that this is not just an ambition, because he believes that the provincial government could really reach it.

On the other hand, Dr. Abdullah B. Dumama Jr, DOH RO-XI Regional director, said that while giving birth is one of the most wonderful experiences in life, it is also very risky.

According to an international medical survey, the Philippines is on track in achieving the goal of reducing child mortality but very far from achieving the goal in maternal mortality. He said that the international maternal mortality rate of 800 per day mostly occurs in low resource settings and most could have been prevented.

“I’d like to put it in your heart… that the women don’t have to die just because of giving birth,” said Dr. Dumama Jr informing the participants that the sense of urgency here now is very high especially in Davao Region, that is why the coalition was created for change and transformation.

Meanwhile, prioritizing health programs on the duration of her term, Governor Corazon N. Malanyaon expressed her gladness about DOH’s decision of choosing Davao Oriental as the first launching venue of the Team D CHAMPS in the Region.

In aiming for zero infant and maternal mortality rates, Governor Malanyaon said that reaching it is possible because ‘we’ work always things in noble.

“It is just a matter of being determined and being committed in pursuing it relentlessly. We just have to believe in the mantra of ‘walang nanay at sanggol ang mamamatay dahil sa panganganak’” urged Governor Malanyaon. (Van Jorain O. Rufin/PIO DO)