Almost 200 pregnant women from two barangays in Quezon City have been enrolled by the city government for health insurance (Philhealth) coverage as part of a continuing effort to improve the delivery of maternal health care and safe childbirth in the city.
Benefits provided under Philhealth’s maternal health care package include free pre-natal and post natal check-ups, birth planning seminars, free child delivery in public hospitals and accredited Philhealth lying-ins and new born screenings.
Mayor Herbert Bautista and Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte led city officials during the distribution of the QC-sponsored Philhealth cards, beneficiaries of which include 101 indigent pregnant women from Barangay Pansol and 97 others from Barangay Tatalon.
Launched in partnership with the Institute of Politics and Governance and the Institute of Popular Democracy, the program was described as vital in the city’s bid to reduce maternal deaths, especially in underprivileged communities.
As indicated in the city’s poverty profile, about 1.8% of women in QC die each year from childbirth or and other pregnancy related causes, prompting the city government to launch efforts to strengthen the delivery of maternal health care services, which include, among others, compliance to four pre-natal visits, provision of tetanus toxoid, laboratory screening, micronutrient supplementation, nutrition assessment and breastfeeding education.
Hypertension is reportedly the leading cause of maternal deaths followed by post-partum hemorrhage and complications of unsafe abortion. -30- Precy/ Ej/ Maureen Quinones, PAISO
