Maternal deaths in Palawan dropped by around 10 percent in 2018, data by the Provincial Health Office (PHO) showed.
PHO maternal health program manager Jenevil Tombaga said recently that they only recorded 19 maternal deaths in 2018 compared to 21 in 2017.
Despite the decrease, Tombaga said the PHO remains steadfast in its commitment to prevent more maternal deaths this year.
“Siyempre medyo okay siya kasi bumaba ang cases natin, pero hindi pa rin tayo masaya kasi may namamatay pa rin. Nakakalungkot pa rin ‘yon. Kaya tayo ngayon, mas intensified ‘yong implementation natin ng program sa mga munisipyo para dito,” said Tombaga.
Tombaga added part of their awareness drive is to also bring down the high cases of early teen pregnancy.
She said one of the strategies to continue the downtrend is through the holding of a series of Couple’s Congress in municipalities in the province to disseminate proper health care within the family.
“Dito sa couple’s congress, we will include most especially ‘yong mga kalalakihan natin, kasi sila talaga ang magdadala ng kanilang pamilya. Kaya ang dapat may desisyon unang-una ay si tatay, kasi siya ang haligi ng tahanan natin,” Tombaga said.
Meanwhile, PHO chief Dra. Mary Ann Navaro said that teenagers at the age of 10-19 are considered “most at risk”, those who are bearing a child for the fourth to fifth time, as well as those who are pregnant at the age of 30-35.
“Yong mga teenagers na buntis at ‘yong mga pang-limang beses na nila manganak, since risky sila, dinadala na ‘yan sila sa hospital days ahead their delivery, para maalagaan na sila agad. ‘Yong bleeding talaga yung pinakamataas [cause of death],” said Navarro.
Navarro said the PHO is reaching out to the communities to extend proper medical services to pregnant women and prepare them for their deliveries.
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