DIPOLOG CITY, Philippines (PIA) – A massive campaign for maternal healthcare by the City Health Office (CHO) here finally paid off.

The city’s maternal mortality rate has posted zero percent from January 2010 to June of this year, a recent CHO report disclosed.

CHO personnel have observed that expectant mothers regularly visit the health centers for their pre-natal care/checkups.

Death rate on newborn children aged zero to 28 days old is also the lowest in the region with 7.30 percent only for the same period.

Also, City Health Officer Dr. Cecilio Siglos disclosed that 3,960 infants aged zero to six months old were fully breastfed, while 3,923 of them were also fully immunized.

Under the continuing program of Garantisadong Pambata, a total of 14,897 children aged six to 59 months old have been given vitamin A supplements.

Children aged 12 to 71 months old underwent de-worming, while another 23,073 children aged zero to eight years old were given a supplemental immunization against measles-rubella through house-to-house visitation.

It can be recalled that the city government here has strengthened its maternal and child healthcare program by encouraging the expectant mothers to always visit the health centers for their checkups, and the mothers to have their children immunized against diseases.

In another development, some 22,891 additional indigent families from the 13 municipalities of Zamboanga del Norte are expected to benefit from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

This was disclosed by DSWD Region-9 Director Teodolo Romo Jr. after receiving a directive from the DSWD Central Office regarding the additional 4Ps beneficiaries allotted for the province.

He said the new batch of 4Ps beneficiaries will replace those who were removed from the original list of beneficiaries for various reasons.

It maybe because they have no more children below 14 years or have failed to comply with the conditions set forth by the program, he explained.

The 4Ps is an anti-poverty alleviation program of the government that provides cash assistance to the indigent families for their health and educational needs.

The family beneficiary with three children aging below 14 years old will receive a maximum monthly allowance of P1,400, provided, they comply with the requirements set forth by the program. Each child is entitled to P300 and the mother – P500.

Among the conditions include the regular medical check-up for the children, especially those below five years old, that the children spend 85 percent of their time in school, and that the mother regularly attend to the Responsible Parenthood session conducted for the purpose.

The new additional 4Ps beneficiaries will come from: Leon Postigo that has 1,322 families; Baliguian, 1,332; Godod, 917; Gutalac, 1,840; Jose Dalman, 1,223; Kalawit, 1,177; Katipunan, 1430; Manukan, 1,523; Roxas, 1,599; Sergio Osmeña, 1,218; Siayan, 2,055; Sibuco, 3,831; and Sindangan with 3,424 families.