Benguet town adopting motherhood project

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — The municipal government here is adopting and institutionalizing a national project that promotes and ensures safe and healthy pregnancy among rural folk.

Councilor John Kim and his fellow council members are about to pass an ordinance on the matter, thus ensuring the continued implementation of the Women’s Health and Safe Motherhood Project (WHSMP) in this town.

A project of the Department of Health, the WHSMP not only integrates women’s health and safe motherhood into the regular services of health units, but also promotes the use of safe home delivery kits, advocates increased intake of vital micro—nutrients during pregnancy and lactation, and sets up dedicated facilities for pregnant women in selected areas.

The project involves the mobilization of national and local government agencies, community and people’s organizations and the media.

However, the WHSMP, as conceived and funded by the DOH, is onstream for only five years, and its continued implementation at the community level shall be the responsibility of local governments in priority areas. This scheme is based on the principle of local autonomy.

Responding to this challenge, the La Trinidad council has come up with a proposed ordinance "institutionalizing women’s health and safe motherhood" and providing funds for this purpose.