Midwives as “little doctors in the barrio”
LINGAYEN—If there is one overworked professional in a community, it is your midwife.
The present work load and environ of a midwife was the central issue discussed during the 2nd Annual Midwives Health Summit organized by the Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines, Inc. (IMAP) Pangasinan Chapter last September 14 at the Pangasinan Training and Development Center.
In attendance were midwives in government and private practice and students of midwifery in Pangasinan schools.
“Kami yung may mga pinakamaraming trabaho. We’re working like a carabao, lahat ng programs hawak naming… we just depend on our salary,” IMAP Pangasinan Chapter President Elvie Estrada said.
“The midwives are the little doctors in the barrio,” she added.
FUTURE MIDWIVES
Meanwhile, Mara Mahor, a graduating midwifery student of Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation, had this to say: “I consider myself not just a hero but super hero because I’m saving two significant lives: the mother and the baby’s.”
Loreville Cruz, another VMUF student said, “It (midwifery) was my parents’ choice but eventually I started enjoying it. I am excited to help mothers give birth.”
Governor Amado Espino Jr. took the occasion to reiterate his goal of make all expectant mothers to deliver their babies in a health facility and not in their homes to bring down the maternal and child mortality rate.
Based on Provincial Health Office data, the province has seen considerable increase in facility-based deliveries, from 43.30% in 2011 to 77% in 2012.
Further, from 104 in every 100,000 live births in 2008, maternal mortality rate went down to 54 last year.–Johanne R. Macob
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