DAVAO CITY—The New Born Child Health and Nutrition Ordinance, sponsored by Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte, was approved by the 18th city council on Tuesday morning.
The ordinance aims to reduce the number of maternal death rate in the city through enhancing the service delivery network of the 17 district hospitals in the city.
Villafuerte said that in 2014, the City Health Office recorded 62 maternal deaths; however, the number decreased to 28 from 2015 to the present.
“Although we have a decreasing number of maternal deaths we should not let our guard down and further enhance our facilities through this new ordinance,” she said.
Villafuerte added that there are still women in the hinterlands who gave birth at home.
She said that the city council is eyeing to have a zero percent maternal death in the city after the passing of the new ordinance.
The New Born Child Health and Nutrition Ordinance is also part of the 10-point priority agenda of Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.
“We are eyeing to convert these district hospitals to maternal centers so that it will be more accessible to our constituents to give birth and it will also lessen the danger of giving birth,” Villafuerte said.
She added that they will also introduce the telemedicine system on the hinterlands so that the doctors, nurse or midwife can attend to their needs despite the distance.
Majority Floor leader Councilor Bernard Al-ag said that as of the moment three out of the 17 district hospitals are now maternity centers, two of which are open 24 hours.
Among them were Paquibato and Tibungco district hospital.