When Jocelyn Mariano, 30, gave birth to her second child in June 2017, she and her husband Argie did not have to travel far from their home in Sitio Bitog in Barangay Buhangin, Malita. She gave birth instead in the nearby paanakan (birthing home) in the barangay health station.
"My husband and I decided to deliver our baby here in the Buhangin birthing facility because it is near and we won’t have to pay for transportation expenses," shared Jocelyn, who gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
Jocelyn added that she did not encounter any difficulty because the facility was well-equipped and she was assisted by the barangay midwife, Dolores Garcia, from prenatal checkups until the time she gave birth. In 2016, the World Health Organization and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) provided the birthing home with a patient bed, a weighing scale for the newborn, ambu bag, and a Doppler monitor, which are all important in complying with standards of safe birthing facilities and for PhilHealth accreditation for Maternity Care Package. Since then, the barangay has reported an increased number of mothers delivering in the facility, from 5 in 2016 to 14 in the first half of 2017.
"Five years ago, the barangay health workers and I were still doing household rounds in sitios whenever there are mothers giving birth," Garcia said. Now, the mothers go to them directly at the birthing home.
According to the midwife, through the project with WHO and KOICA, the barangay leaders realized the importance of having a functioning birthing home to ensure that pregnant women have safe deliveries.
"I convened our barangay leaders and initiated the construction of our birthing home from our barangay IRA (internal revenue allotment),” said Buhangin barangay captain Edgardo Palacio.
Aside from the equipment, midwives in Malita and its neighbouring towns in Don Marcelino and Sta. Maria were also capacitated on maternal and newborn care, particularly on basic emergency obstetric and newborn care and the integrated management of childhood illness.
"The midwives now have updated knowledge in maternal and child health since what we previously learned is different from the new information available now," Garcia added.
Jocelyn was among one of the first to experience the fully functional birthing home with the help of the well-equipped and trained health workers and she is glad that the barangay already offers these convenient health services to women.
"I feel at home here because my family is with me. The birthing facility is clean and with complete equipment and supplies and the health workers are taking good care of me," said Jocelyn.
