by Franklin P.
Gumapon
DIPOLOG CITY, April
24 (PIA) - - More than half of pregnant women of Zamboanga del Norte gave birth
to their babies in birthing clinics and/or hospitals last year.
This was the report
released yesterday by the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) headed by
Dr. Eduardo Luayon.
The IPHO observed
that in 2007, only 22 percent of pregnant women went to birthing clinics or
hospitals to deliver their babies. This gradually went up to 23 percent in
2008, 26 percent in 2009, 50 percent in 2010 and finally 55.41 percent in 2011.
Rommel Jamolod, a
nurse from the IPHO, attributed the increase in facility based deliveries (FBD)
in 2011 to the implementation and enforcement of FBD policies by the rural
health units (RHUs).
Jamolod also
disclosed that except for Siocon municipality, the Basic Emergency Obstetric
and Newborn Care (BEMONC) training had already been conducted in all RHUs in
the province.
“Presently, health
facility enhancement of some RHUs is still going on including procurement of
BEMONC facilities,” Jamolod said.
IPHO statistics
also showed that the maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births in the
province was said to have gone up to 72.96 percent in 2011 from 67 percent in
2010.
Leading causes of
maternal deaths were post-partum hemorrhage, post-partum eclampsia, sepsis and
pregnancy induced hypertension. (FPG/PIA-Zamboanga del Norte)