Reduce maternal mortality in the Philippines

The Mother Child Charity Clinic takes place every Friday at the Jesus A. Datu Medical Center. Each Friday is assigned to various organizations, such as the Rotary Club, Lions' Club, Soroptimists, Kapampangan Development Foundation, and Datu Angeles David Foundation, among other volunteers. Obstetricians, Gynecologist, Pediatricians, and Internal Medicine physicians all volunteer their time to staff the clinic. At the most recent clinic, 238 pediatric, 65 OB/GYN, and 123 medical cases for a total of 426 patients were served.

We are close to obtaining our Level 1 License to Operate General Services. This will allow us to operate an ambulatory cataract surgical unit with Philhealth reimbursement. Also upcoming is the transfer of a Prosthetics Lab from its present location at Clark Airfield to the Jesus A. Datu Medical Center.

On July 10, the JADMC medical equipment donated by World Medical Relief was delivered. It includes a Phaeco machine and 2 lasers giving us the capability to do cataract and glaucoma surgeries. With equipment now delivered and renovations done, we have filed the application permit for a Level 1 General Services Hospital. Meanwhile we are installing wirings, transformers, and purchasing a generator as part of the requirements. The process for the License to Operate takes one month. The month of August will be used to hire all the doctors and staff for the JADMC. We will be meeting with the Arellano University and Fatima University management regarding how they can supply us with the needed personnel. The newly elected Mayor of Bacolor has committed the full support of their local government for the project. The Mother and Child Clinic will happen every Friday of the month beginning August 20. The Rotary Clubs have donated $4,000 to purchase medicines and supplies for this year.

Links:

• www.loveforlifefoundation.org

We are excited about the ongoing events at the Jesus A. Datu Medical Center! We are playing the central role in the "Pampanga Zero Maternal and Infant Mortality Campaign". This project will establish 30 midwife-owned clinics under the social franchise brand name of Well Family Midwife Clinics (WFMCs). The JADMC will be the hub of this program, serving as a birthing clinic and as a training hospital for the midwives. We, along with our partner Kapampangan Development Foundation, are raising funds for the training of the midwives. Working alongside the Rotary Club, World Medical Relief, Knightsbridge International, among others, we are receiving donations of equipment as well as food for undernourished mothers.

We are working with the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers to help us identify indigent patients for our ongoing cataract, medical, and harelip/cleft palate projects.

We plan to do a weekly free clinic (to begin with) for children and mothers as part of the Maternal and Child Care component of our program.

Our goal is to promote a ZERO maternal and infant mortality for the province of Pampanga in 5 years through a community-based approach.

The LFLF worked alongside the Kapampangan Development Foundation (KDF) and the Datu Angeles David Foundation and held its annual medical/dental/cataract mission February 12-13, 2010 and Feb 19-21, 2010. Over 500 medical and dental patients were seen. Approximately sixty cataract patients were successfully operated. In addition to the daily operation of the JADMC, we plan to conduct these medical missions annually.

On November 7, 2009 our foundation made a formal agreement with the Kapampangan Development Foundation of the Philippines to make the Jesus A. Datu Medical Center the major cataract center for the province of Pampanga. Other plans for the JADMC include: a birthing center, cleft palate surgeries, prosthesis lab, health education for nurses and midwives, as well as providing routine emergency care, medical, and dental care. These services will be offered to the indigent population of the area and will be provided by volunteers. We look forward to making the JADMC the prototypefor providing affordable healthcare for the poor of the Philippines! Thank you for your ongoing support.