From Finland to Taguig: ‘Baby bags’ for each new birth in the probinsyudad
Taguig City launched the “Infant Care Project” last March 27, bringing a helpful tool against maternal and infant mortality to our side of the Metro.
The program centers on a tool modeled after Finland’s touted baby box, which has helped new moms and babies in that European country since 1938 and lowered infant mortality there in the long term.
Taguig’s version is a 3-in-1 foldable baby bag that can transform into a diaper bag, a crib or a changing pad. Several compartments of the baby bag given away free of charge are filled with soap, alcohol, baby oil, wipes and diapers.
Some 110 mothers received free units at the launch, a highlight of the Buntis Congress event held at Lakeshore Hall in Barangay Lower Bicutan.
The Buntis Congress is a biannual gathering of soon-to-be mothers and postpartum mommies to give them the proper knowledge on safe motherhood, breastfeeding, immunization and family planning.
On regular days, the item can be claimed after a baby is delivered in a medical facility and the parents get birth registration. Before the delivery, too, the mother must have undergone some steps. Below is the list of requirements to avail the baby bag compliments of the probinsyudad:
1) completing four prenatal checkups: one each during the first and second trimester and two in the last trimester;
(2) getting the appropriate tetanus vaccine injections;
(3) delivering the baby in a licensed facility, such as a hospital, certified lying-in center or Super Health Center;
(4) going through a postnatal checkup;
(5) having the baby immunized with BCG and Hepatitis B vaccines; and
(6) getting a birth registration.
Except the last item, all the steps alleviate the risk of maternal and infant mortality, a bid to further lower the numbers for Taguig City.
Vanessa Acompañado, a 34-year-old working mom, was among the Taguigeño mommies who received a baby bag during the Buntis Congress.
She just gave birth to already her third child — Luke Andy — last March 2.
“This baby bag is truly a huge help for mothers like me,” explained Vanessa, who is currently on maternity leave to focus all her attention on her new child. “I am now worrying less because I can turn it into a portable crib where he can be safe while I do household chores or turn it into a bag where I can organize his things when we go out.”
In the Buntis Congress, the participants also availed of free HIV and AIDS counseling, blood typing, dental services and nutrition counseling. There was a PhilHealth booth for their inquiries.
The Infant Care Project and Buntis Congress are not the only programs of the probinsyudad zeroing in on mothers and babies.
In 2015, the Department of Health dubbed the city-owned Taguig-Pateros District Hospital (TPDH) “Mother-Baby Friendly,” recognizing its outstanding implementation of a breastfeeding policy, staff training on lactation management, strong link with the community to sustain breastfeeding, and compliance with Executive Order No. 51, also known as the Milk Code, and Republic Act No. 7600 or Rooming-In and Breastfeeding Act of 1992.
In the same year, the Taguig City Human Milk Bank was launched, the third established by a local government unit in the country. It has helped a total of 473 breastmilk beneficiaries and recruited more than 2,989 breastmilk donors.
Some 14,669 Taguigeño babies have also benefited from Taguig City’s free newborn screening that ensures the early detection of conditions in newborn babies that need immediate treatment.
Taguig’s PhilHealth-accredited Super Health Centers in Barangays North Signal, Central Bicutan and Napindan also offer free lying-in services for pregnant women.
“The city administration is well aware of the struggles of every soon-to-be and new mother, and of every human born. Through this Infant Care Project and our many other programs in infant and maternal care, we offer our solidarity with them. Ultimately, we want the same thing: a more caring environment for the mothers and infants in our city,” Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano said.
FILIPINO VERSION
Mula Finland hanggang Taguig: ‘Baby bags’ libre sa mga bagong silang sa probinsyudad
Inilunsad na sa Taguig City ang “Infant Care Project” noong March 27, kung saan namamahagi ang lokal na pamahalaan ng mabisang kagamitan para maiwasan ang maternal at infant mortality sa buong lungsod.
Ang programang ito ay nakasentro sa kagamitang hango sa baby box ng Finland, na tumutulong sa mga ina at kanilang bagong silang na sanggol sa kanilang bansa simula pa 1938, na nagpababa sa infant mortality rate sa mas mahabang panahon.
Ang bersyon ng Taguig ay 3-in-1 foldable baby bag na pwedeng gamitin bilang diaper bag, crib o changing pad. Marami itong compartments para sa sabon, alcohol, baby oil, wipes at diaper. Libre ito sa mga inang Taguigeño para sa kanilang bagong silang na sanggol.
Mahigit 110 na ina na ang nakatanggap ng libreng bag sa ginanap na paglulunsad nito, kasabay ng Buntis Congress event sa Lakeshore Hall, Barangay Lower Bicutan.
Ang Buntis Congress ay isang biannual gathering ng mga magiging ina at mga postpartum mommies upang mabigyan sila ng mabisang kaalaman sa pagiging nanay, sa breastfeeding, pagbabakuna at family planning.
Sa regular na araw, ang bag ay pwedeng i-claim matapos maisilang ang sanggol sa isang medical facility at ang mga magulang ay nakakuha na ng birth registration. Bago ang delivery, ang ina ay dapat na sumailalim ng ilang hakbang. Ang mga sumusunod ay requirements para makakuha ng baby bag compliments ng probinsyudad:
1) kumpleto ang apat (4) na prenatal checkups: tig-isa sa una at ikalawang trimester, at dalawa sa huling trimester;
mayroong tetanus vaccine injections;
2) ang panganganak sa isang lisensyadong pasilidad, gaya ng ospital, certified lying-in center or Super Health Center;
3) kasalukuyang sumasailalim sa postnatal checkup;
4) napabakunahan ang sanggol ng BCG at Hepatitis B vaccines; at
5) pagkuha ng birth registration
Bukod sa huling item, lahat ng hakbang na ito ay nakakatulong upang maiwasan ang banta ng maternal at infant mortality, paraan din ito upang ibaba ang numero ng ganitong kaso sa Taguig City.
Si Vanessa Acompañado, isang 34-anyos na working mother, ay isa lamang sa Taguigeño mommies na nakatanggap ng baby bag noong Buntis Congress.
Kapapanganak pa lamang niya ng pangatlo niyang anak — Luke Andy — noong March 2.
“This baby bag is truly a huge help for mothers like me,” wika ni Vanessa, na kasalukuyang naka-maternity leave para maka-focus sa pagaalaga ng bagong silang na anak.
“I am now worrying less because I can turn it into a portable crib where he can be safe while I do household chores or turn it into a bag where I can organize his things when we go out.”
Noong Buntis Congress, ang mga dumalo ay nabigyan din ng libreng counseling sa sakit na HIV/AIDS, blood typing, dental services at nutrition counseling. Merong itinayo na PhilHealth booth para sa mga nais mag-inquire.
Ang Infant Care Project at Buntis Congress ay ilan lamang sa mga programa ng probinsyudad na nakatuon as ina at sanggol.
Noong 2015, ang Department of Health ay pinangalanan ang Taguig-Pateros District Hospital (TPDH) bilang “Mother-Baby Friendly,” kinikilala ang mabisang implementasyon ng breastfeeding policy, staff training at lactation management, direktang kuneksyon sa mga komunidad para sa pagpapatupad ng breastfeeding. Ito ay bunsod sa Executive Order No. 51, kilala rin bilang Milk Code, at Republic Act No. 7600 o ang Rooming-In at Breastfeeding Act of 1992.
Sa parehong taon, ang Taguig City Human Milk Bank ay inilunsad, ang pangatlong itinatag ng local government unit sa bansa. Ito ay nakatulong na sa mahigit 473 breastmilk beneficiaries at nakahikayat na ng mahigit 2,989 breastmilk donors.
Mahigit 14,669 Taguigeñong sanggol ang nabiyayaan na ng libreng newborn screening upang masiguro ang maagang detection sa kundisyon ng newborn babies na kumakailangan ng gamot sa sakit.
Ang PhilHealth-accredited Super Health Centers sa Barangays North Signal, Central Bicutan at Napindan sa Taguig ay nagbibigay din ng libreng lying-in services sa mga buntis na residente ng Taguig.
“The city administration is well aware of the struggles of every soon-to-be and new mother, and of every human born. Through this Infant Care Project and our many other programs in infant and maternal care, we offer our solidarity with them. Ultimately, we want the same thing: a more caring environment for the mothers and infants in our city,” saad pa ni Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano.
For a video of Taguig’s baby bags, please watch this: