124 PREGNANT WOMEN RECEIVES FREE HEALTH CHECK UP IN ANNUAL BUNTIS CONGRESS

The Importance of health care for pregnant women

Municipal Health Office (MHO) conducts Buntis Congress, an annual health event for selected high risk pregnant women of Manolo Fortich that seeks to provide them free information drive and health care at Bahay Tulogan, Barangay Tankulan, Manolo Fortich on August 23, 2023.

MHO was partnered with Municipal Nutrition Action Office (MNAO), Provincial Health Office, and the Municipal Pharmacy. Buntis Congress 2023 has been an annual health event since 2016. However, the COVID-19 pandemic halted it for 2 years from 2020 to 2021. Since the pandemic, this year is the second time it has fully returned to its operations.

This year, it consists of a series of lectures that tackled topics on Family Planning and Oral Health care, followed by free consultations, check up, laboratory examinations, and medications. There was also a raffle activity with breastfeeding kits as prizes. Avelino Calotes, Family Planning Coordinator served as speaker for Family Planning, while Dr. Reynaldo Atienza, Provincial Health Officer, served as speaker for Oral Health Care.

“Sa atong serbisyo, naa tay dental bus gikan sa atong province. Naay laboratory na ma screen ang ilang CBC, HIV, ug blood typing. Naa pud tay Nutri-bun ug mga nutritional counseling. Ang mga tambal pud sa atong munisipyo kay mahatag sa ila. Libre na sila sa atong mga buros,” says Dr. Louella Gamboa, Rural Health Physician and project head of Buntis Congress 2023.

124 pregnant women were able to attend and benefit from the annual health event. These are high risk and teenage pregnancies which were carefully selected. “Kani nga services na atong ihatag para sa mga 22 ka barangay, gipili ang mga high risks ug teenage pregnancy sa atong mga midwives, gi screen kada barangay para naa gyud representative ma apil sa atoang Buntis Congress,” Dr. Gamboa added.

Sangguniang Bayan Member and Committee Chairperson on Health, Sanitation, and Nutrition Councilor Joy L. Cordovez emphasized in her opening remarks how important it is for a pregnant woman to be knowledgeable about her pregnancy. “Bisan og ikatulo, ika upat na kita nabuntis, aduna kita’y angay na mahibalo-an. Importante gyud kaayo na maayo ang atong pagkaon, atong aura, ug atong health para sa atong mga anak na naa sa atong mga sinapupunan.”

Chona A. Balos, 33 years old from Zone 5, Barangay Santiago is one of the attendees and beneficiaries of Buntis Congress 2023. She also expressed her gratitude to the municipality’s initiative, “Pasalamat ko kang Mayor Rogelio N. Quino kay nagpatawag gyud siya ani para sa mga buros diri sa Manolo Fortich. Dako gyud na tabang para sa ako, sa amo mga buros.”

The annual Buntis Congress in the municipality is in support of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Nutrition program.