Birth Center Saves MotherBaby Lives in Philippines

The Philippines is no stranger to strong winds and rain. Last November brought the largest Typhoon to ever hit landfall and Mercy In Action responded to the disaster with emergency medical and maternity tents to provide care in the areas hardest hit. Although we have not experienced a typhoon of that magnitude since, we still continue to experience typhoons and storms that are strong enough to wash away roads and homes. This poses a particularly dangerous situation for childbearing women who are most vulnerable if they go into labor during the peak of a storm. Therefore, it is no surprise that our clinic has been unusually busy this last week as Typhoon Henry (Matmo) approached, uprooting trees and flooding roads. Many expectant mothers came to our clinic seeking refuge before either their labor or the storm became too intense. And because our clinic stands, with a strong foundation and many beds, those women were able to receive kind and capable care while the rains came down outside.

It is because of the kind donations of strangers that our clinic is able to be that safe place in the storm. Mercy In Action and the families we serve thank you for your support

The Philippines is among the top 10 countries in the world where there is great inequality in newborn deaths between the richest and poorest populations, according to Save the Children’s study entitled, Ending Newborn Deaths: Ensuring Every Baby Survives, which was launched in Manila on Friday, April 11.

“Less than 30 per cent of the babies in the poorest sector of the Philippines are delivered by a skilled birth attendant, compared to nearly 100 per cent in the richest economic bracket.” said Ned Olney, Philippine Director of Save the Children. They are asking all of us in the Philippines to give every newborn a promise of survival, which includes ensuring that every birth is attended by trained and equipped health workers, and removing user fees for all maternal, newborn and child health services, including emergency obstetric care; and

Mercy In Action is proud to say that we have highly trained midwives on staff and we have removed all barriers to care for the poorest members of society by having no user fees in our Birth Center for any of our maternity care services, including labor and delivery, prenatal check-ups, baby check-ups, and home visits after the birth. Even when life-saving drugs are needed, they are provided free of charge to the patient, thanks to the generosity of you, our donors! 

Just last week, a baby was born not breathing, who needing immediate resuscitation at birth, but thanks to the skilled care he received at Mercy In Action, he was breathing and in his mother's arms within a few minutes after birth. "Salamat Po", said the mother,over and over again, which means "Thank you" in Tagalog. "O walang anuman", said the midwives, smiling down at the happy mother and nursing baby. "It was no trouble at all".

Skilled midwives, with good emergency training, giving services at no charge to the mother, with kindness. These are the factors that make a life-saving difference. This is the opportunity Mercy In Action has here in the Philippines during this time of crisis for our newborns.

While there is a crisis in our country, we see the opportunity to be a model of what is possible, providing excellence in midwifery care for all women, regardless of income. Thank you for helping us make such a difference here in the Philippines.

Were you aware that your donation could make such a difference? 

Links:

• Mercy In Action website
• Save the Children Report: Ending Newborn Deaths