FPP: Fathers are Important Too!

Pagadian City – Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ma. Corazon S. Ariosa underscored the importance of the role of fathers in family planning the country’s priority public health program to achieve a healthy and responsible community.

“It is the social responsibility of the fathers to help their wives in family planning,” Ariosa said in a message.before the first-ever held men’s forum at Hotel Guillermo recently . It was sponsored by the Department of Health –Center for Health and Development (DOH-CHD), Region IX in coordination with the Provincial Government thru the Integrated Provincial Health Office.

Dr. Ariosa acknowledged the vital role of men under our culture, saying that they are the “pillars, provider, and decision-maker of the family.”

“We look up to the fathers as our children’s models-- giving directions to our family,” Ariosa explained.

She disclosed that in the province, several “women died due to teenage pregnancy and many of the deaths were caused by abortion.”

In the 2008 data gathered from the Field Health Service Information System and Infant Morbidity, it reported that some 121 women in Zamboanga del Sur, ages 15 to19 yrs. old died due to abortion.

With the sad news, the DOH in collaboration with IPHO personnel, appealed to the men’s sector, to provide assistance to their wives in the implementation of family planning, to prevent the recurrence of this health problem.

Ariosa was very optimistic that through the forum, and with the active participation of the men’s sector in the family planning program, they can achieve their desired goal in the improvement of the health and welfare of mothers, children and other members of the family, and to avoid the death of mothers.

The activity was part of the culmination of the Family Planning Month which provides information and services to the couples of reproductive age to plan their family according to their beliefs and circumstances through legally and medically acceptable family planning methods.

It was attended by some 200 fathers and future fathers composed of selected rank-and-file employees from the national, provincial and city governments, members of the AFP and PNP, barangay offocials, market vendors, and tricycle drivers.

The participants lauded DOH and IPHO personnel for involving them sufficient information in the family planning methods. (PIA9-Pagadian City)

PHILIP JAMES MONGAYA TREMEDAL
CALL OR TEXT ME : 0929-589-6390
OR E-MAIL ME : pjtremedal@gmail.com
visit my website: www.pag-enews.tk