Japanese Minister Akio Isomata (fourth from left) hands over medical equipments
to the people in Apayao, Governor Elias C. Bulut Jr. (fifth from right)
Japan's steadfast support towards strengthening the health system as well as maternal and child health in Apayao province reached a milestone when Japanese Embassy Minister for Economic Affairs, Akio Isomata, led the Equipment Handover Ceremony of the technical cooperation project, “Cordillera-wide Strengthening of the Local Health System for Effective and Efficient Delivery of Maternal and Child Health Services”, in the Municipality of Luna on January 24, 2013. Minister Isomata was joined by Department of Health Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo, Apayao Governor Elias C. Bulut, Jr., Luna Mayor Betty C. Verzola and CHD-CAR Regional Director Valeriano Lopez.
The p roject aims to improve the health status of the people in the Cordillera Administrative Region , particularly , of women and children. Another important component of the p roject is the conduct of Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) training for doctors and midwives in the Cordillera Administrative Region. These BEmONC trainings are expected to promote cooperation between the health institutions in Apaya province.
Minister Isomata officially handed over equipment for birthing services such as delivery tables, Fetal D oppler and weighing scales for infants, disinfecting kit for medical tools, among others to the rural health units (RHUs) and hospitals in Apayao province. Japan's contribution to th ese equipments amounts to 4,037,050 Pesos. Together with local officials, Minister Isomata also visited the beneficiaries of the equipment including the Sta. Marcela RHU, barangay health stations of Consuelo and Marcela as well as the Sta. Marcela Medicare and Community Hospital. These equipment aims to equip the BEmONC - trained health workers with the essential skills to deliver extensive and efficient maternal and newborn health services effectively.
In the Cordillera Administrative Region, Japan has provided since 2006 a five - year technical assistance to strengthen the local health system in Benguet Province as well as a four-year project on maternal and child health (MCH) in the province of Ifugao.
The province of Apayao is one of the most impoverished provinces in the Philippines due to its mountainous geographic features that left most of its communities in isolation. Thus, most of the medical facilities in these areas lack the necessary equipment for the delivery of quality health care. This p roject seeks to address these challenges and other disparities in the health system.
In his speech, Minister Isomata expressed hope that this project , aimed at protecting the health and well-being of the mothers and newborns, will redound to improved health of the entire families and eventually bring about a safer environment for the future generations in Apayao province.
Japan, as the top donor of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the Philippines has supported a wide range of projects and activities that protect and promote the health and welfare of women and children in the Philippines for the past five decades. This project is expected to ensure “human security” of the local people as well as to strengthen the bond of friendship and strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines.
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Speech of Min. Akio Isomata
Japanese Version
